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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413055">The Last Hope</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adelaide_Brenner/pseuds/goddessofstories'>goddessofstories (Adelaide_Brenner)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Also Reylo is a bad relationship i'm sorry don't come for me, I didn't like the sequel trilogy, I love leia and poe interactions, It's not valid, Luke is still grumpy because I would be too if my protege threw a murderous and prolonged bitchfit, Multi, Poe has a death wish, Poe is force sensitive because I said so, Rey deserves happiness, This is arguably worse but like, it's a problem, no beta we die like men, so i rewrote it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:53:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413055</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adelaide_Brenner/pseuds/goddessofstories</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>I am the last hope of the galaxy</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>No. We are. You're not alone in this. You never will be</i>
</p>
<p>Or, the sequel trilogy, rewritten</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben solo/a hug, Finn &amp; Rey (Star Wars), Leia Organa/Han Solo, Poe Dameron &amp; Leia Organa, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey &amp; Ben Solo, Rey &amp; Luke Skywalker, Rey &amp; Poe Dameron, Rey/happiness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. POE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! Thanks for clicking. I do not how to write summaries. It's a problem.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>They're coming</i>
</p>
<p>Poe Dameron's feet beat a rhythm into the sand as he runs. The desert night is hot and cold all at once, or maybe it's him. The crunch of his droid trundling along is a small comfort as his feet slip and kick up sprays of golden grit</p>
<p>
  <i>They're coming.</i>
</p>
<p>There is a telltale screech that sends his stomach plummeting to the core of the planet. The chip in his hand burns him like fire as it digs into his hand. The map to Skywalker. Quickly, he leans down</p>
<p>
  <i>They're coming <i></i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"BB" he says, frantically and seriously all at once. "take this. Keep it safe" he drops the chip in BB-8s port. The droid chirps questioningly at him and he shakes his head</i></i></p>
<p><i><i>
"It's safer with you. Run with it, I'll find you when this is over. Love you, buddy" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The droid chirps sadly, but rolls off into the night anyways. Poe watches him go, carving a shallow trench of sand in his wake. And then he runs again, a dead sprint for his ship as the screams of TIE fighters get louder and louder.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The light of the fires makes his shadow seem monstrous, grotesque, painted against the white of the ship. And then, suddenly, it's gone. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>They're here</i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The blaster bolt barely missed him, and he has less than a second to thank the forces that be before his shoulders are clamped by hands clad in hard armor. There are screams, faint and piercing, as the Stormtrooper leans in.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Let's go" it says roughly. A girl's voice. Poe thinks it sounds affected, deepened. It should be a high, sweet thing. But of course, Stormtroopers would never be sweet.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The trooper manhandles him, shoving him forwards with a blaster pressed to his back. He waits, pensive. Hoping. Dead troopers and citizens alike lie among the flames of the wrecked village and Poe nearly screams. He did this. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The moment he waits for arrives quicker than he expected. The trooper's foot brushes the arm of one of her fallen cohorts and her grip falters. It's not even a second. But it's all Poe needs</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>He twists her arm and she lets out a gasp of pain. He grabs the tiny blaster from his waistband and pulls the trigger. The trooper falls and her gun is in his hands before her body hits the sand. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The troopers notice, because of course they do. Poe opens fire and they return it. He manages to take out two of them when something cold and dark and wrong sweeps over him. He takes a shot before he even knows where he's shooting</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The blaster bolt stops in midair.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The dark figure has his hand up, emanating waves of darkness and rage and hatred so intense Poe's knees nearly buckle. But he is Resistance. They don't buckle.<br/>
Troopers force him to his knees. The figure takes slow, almost gentle steps towards him and Poe puts on a smirk, because he's Poe Dameron and no one can say he possesses an ounce of self preservation. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"So who talks first" he says with as much humor he can scrounge up in a wreckage he created. "Because I'll have trouble understanding you under all the, you know,<i> apparatus</i>" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"You know who I am" the figure says, voice deep and distorted. Poe smirks a little more, challengingly. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Kylo Ren. It's a pleasure to meet the First Order's rabid dog in person" he feigns a look over Ren's shoulder, "Where's your master?" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Ren seems unfazed, but his demeanor wavers a little, almost imperceptibly. If Poe hadn't been trained by Leia Organa herself, he wouldn't have noticed. But he was and he does.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"If you know who I am," Ren says coolly, "you know what I want" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"A new stylist? Because malevolent cloaks are so last season" His words cut off as his throat is compressed in a vice like grip. He slams his mental shields as tight as he can, and leaves his hands at his sides. He was trained by Leia Organa. He can resist anything. It's in the name</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"You are tiresome" Ren hisses, "Where is the map" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"What map" Poe wheezes. The vice grows tighter and he coughs. "Oh, that map?" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The vice loosens, and Poe takes advantage to get as much air through his bruised windpipe as he can . </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"It's gone" he hisses out, throat working to keep breathing, "You'll never find it" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Take him" Ren says, standing straight. Poe is hauled roughly to his feet and he scrambles, fighting as the troopers haul him ruthlessly towards the gaping red mouth of a black dagger of a ship.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"And what of the others?" he hears a smooth female voice say. He twists his head back and sees a trooper with armor of silver and chrome, standing taller than the rest.<br/>
"They're innocent" he shouts, as loud as his lungs and throat will let him. "They're innocent! They know nothing! Leave them alone. Let them go"</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Kill them" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Poe can hear their screams over the sound of his own. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>…</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Poe doesn't know how or when he fell unconscious. All he knows is that one minute he's stabbing a Stormtrooper in the neck with a stray piece of metal and the next he's strapped to a table in the middle of a dark walled room.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>His wrists chafe against the biting restraints and he hisses, trying to work his fingers around the cuffs, see if they will unclasp. They don't </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Damn it" he hisses, reserving his stronger expletives for later use. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The door slides open and Kylo Ren walks in. Poe perks up slightly, a little too tired to move any more. His whole body hurts and he can't fathom why.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"My troops tell me that you've resisted all other forms of interrogation" Ren says coldly</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>It comes back in flashes. Excruciating poisons injected into his bloodstream, serums to loosen the tongue, shutting him in rooms too small, too dark, too hot, too cold. Finally, an injection to subdue the mind. He remembers now. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Ah yes" he says. Well, rasps. Based on the quality of his voice, he has either been screaming his head off or hasn't spoken for days. Either is preferable to the alternative of blabbing. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"I believe it's my turn" there is no further warning and Poe barely has time to put up mental shields before a force slams into them. Ren gasps slightly as his mental extremities claw away at Poe's walls.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Someone has trained you" he says, an undercurrent of approval. He ups the assault and Poe is drowning, fighting to keep his head above the roiling dark sea in his mind, clawing and biting for a single secret. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"I'm not telling you shit" Poe wheezes, focusing us much as he can. But the water is so deep and so much and Poe can't breathe and this is how the great Poe Dameron dies, strapped to a table unable to breathe. And not even in a fun kinky way. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>And then he breathes. And his heart shatters. Because living means he failed. Living means they know. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"It's in the droid" he hears as the door slides shut. He should have succumbed to one of the tortures. It would have been better. They wouldn't have known. His fingers clench, painfully,  jerking against the metal clasps.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hey” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Poe jerks his head up at the sound of the frantic voice, tinny through the visor of his helmet. Poe wriggles frantically, trying to move away as much as he can. The trooper removes his helmet and Poe gasps. He was expecting...something else. Horns, a tail, maybe even a forked tongue, but the man looks...normal. Not just normal, but frightened, dots of sweat beading down his forehead.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Wha?” he manages weakly. The man shakes his head, and with a flick of his wrist, Poe’s restraints release. He drops to the floor, twisting his back. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“We need to go. Come on”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Wha?” Poe tries again, staggering to his feet. The Stormtrooper grimaces and yanks Poe along, out of the now open cell.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“We need to go.” he says, “Follow me, and keep your mouth shut” Poe does. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>They make their way down identical chrome hallways. The trooper has Poe in loose restraints he can easily remove, and marches him down the hallway as if they have someplace to be. No one questions it.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Can you fly?” The trooper says, muffled and quiet.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Yes” Poe says through his teeth, as quiet as he can. The trooper nods and pulls him to the side, out of sight. Quickly, he points a trembling finger at a TIE fighter on the flight deck, seemingly abandoned off to the side. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Can you fly that?”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I can fly anything” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The trooper nods and together, they walk towards the ship, blaster on Poe’s back. The trooper's hands tremble and Poe resists the urge to slap him silly, anything to stop the shaking that only serves to jangle Poe's nerves more. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The TIE fighter, thank the Force, was a similar configuration. Poe clenched the controls and began flipping switches as the fighter roared to life.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I always wanted to fly one of these” he says to himself, grinning almost maniacally. Maybe they can do this.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Uhhhhh” the trooper said, staring blankly at the gunner controls. Poe resists the urge to swear violently as he twists in his seat.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“You ever been in one of these before?”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“No” the trooper says hastily, “I work sanitation. Last night…” he gulps audibly, “Last night was my first mission” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Poe swears for real this time. “Use the toggle on the left to switch between missiles, cannons, and mag pulse. Use the sight on the right to aim. Triggers to fire.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“This is very complicated.” The trooper says. He rips his helmet off and tightens his hands on the controls. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Poe doesn’t respond, just hits the lever. With a screech, the fighter rises into the air. Poe grins as they fly towards the open exit. Home free.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>CLANK</i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Or not.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I can fix that” he yells, frantically searching for the switch to disconnect the tether cable. There goes the element of surprise. One of his hand scrabbles for the switch, feeling for it, while he uses the other to drive the fighter forwards, trying to snap the cable. Whichever one gets them free quicker. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“They’re bringing out some really big guns!” the trooper says. Poe drives the fighter forward again and hisses as the tether remains taut. The sound of blasters hitting the hull make him let out a bunch of curses and he’s about to turn around and fire the guns himself when the trooper pulls the trigger. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>There’s an explosion, and then more, as Poe looks frantically for the release switch. His scrambling hands find a switch and he pulls it. Immediately, they rocket forwards, Poe pressed back into his seat.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hell yeah!” he yells jubilantly, as they blast into open space, “This thing really moves!” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>They twist around, and the trooper shrieks slightly as blaster fire from the exterior cannons barely misses them. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Alright, we gotta get those cannons, or we’re not gonna make it.” Poe says, teeth gritting as he twists out of the way of a shot from behind. He hopes the trooper can tell what’s doing when he swoops low, waiting for the cannon fire to cease for a second before he twists the ship into a 180. The trooper fires before Poe can open his mouth, and they fly through the explosion. Poe whoops loudly. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Did you see that?” The trooper screams, elated. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Hell yeah, I did!” Poe says. They swing low around another tower and the trooper blasts it without prompt. Poe is grinning wildly now, his senses singing with awareness. He gracefully dodges another round of fire. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What’s your name?” he asks as the trooper takes out a pursuing fighter. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“FN-2178!”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“FN...what??” he asks, masterfully dodging another blast. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“That’s the only name they ever gave me” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Poe grimaces. Someone willing to sacrifice themselves for what’s right deserves a name. A real one. “Like hell I’m calling you that” he snarls. His brow knits together. “FN, huh? How does Finn sound?”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Finn” the trooper says to himself, heaving with exhilaration. Poe can hear his smile, “I like that”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’m Poe. Dameron” Poe says with a wide smile of his own. “It’s good to meet you.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Something tingles, an itch on the right side of his consciousness. “My right, your left” he screams. The trooper- Finn- hisses. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“They fired up the ventral cannons” he says. Poe hears the telltale sound of an explosion and the tingle disappears. If- when- they make it back alive, Finn’s his gunner from now on. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I got ‘em” Finn sighs with relief, “Where are we heading?” Poe grasps the steering tightly, white knuckled.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Back to Jakku. I need to find my droid.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Like hell we are!” Finn shouts, “We need to get out of this system. No droid is that important.” Poe snarls at the slight at BB-8</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“This one is, pal” he says, “It’s a BB unit, orange and white. One of a kind. I need to get him before the First Order does.”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“We go back to Jakku, we die” Finn tries. Poe ignores his desperation. Some things are more important than living. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“This droid has a map that leads to Luke Skywalker” he admits, a grudging attempt to get Finn on board with his batshit crazy plan. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Oh-you gotta be kidding me”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Something flares bright white in Poe’s senses and he swerves, but it’s too late. Another blast from the ventral cannon strikes the fighter, causing it to spin wildly as it hurdles towards the planet below. Poe slams at the console, but it flickers and dies. The planet grows closer. Poe swears violently as the cabin grows brutally hot. They’re not gonna make it. Poe strips off his jacket, sweating. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Finn’s breathing is harsh and fast and Poe twists in his seat. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I’m gonna try and get us down” he says, trying to be reassuring, “Whatever happens-”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Don’t you say it, don’t you fucking say it-”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“-you need to find my droid. BB unit, orange and white. Deliver it to the resistance.” Poe frantically tries to level them out. His mind pushes as much information into Finn’s brain as he can, flashes of BB and General Organa and as much desperation as he can. Finn sags, unconscious, and Poe realizes he’s overloaded the ex-trooper’s brain. Good. Better to be asleep for this. Poe doesn’t want him to see his death. The planet approaches fast, too fast. Poe closes his eyes and hits the ‘eject’ button, feels the sensation of rushing air.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The last thing he remembers is a spray of sand and fire.</i>
  </i>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Found</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rey and Finn meet. They may not like what they find</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm so tired it's not even funny. I'm also very sick. Someone needs to beta for me just in case I fall into a stupor</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>They’re coming<i></i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Because if they don’t, Rey doesn’t know what she’ll do. So they have to be coming. She has to think they are. Her parents will return</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Her days are filled with dry and heat and she wakes up yet again to another. Groaning quietly, she rolls out of her pallet and lands on her feet. Her stomach rumbles and she ignores it in favour of a small sip of water from her canteen, slipping the last of the bantha jerky into her pocket. She’ll have to go hunting tonight. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Her feet no longer slide over the sand as she walks, but she still feels the grit getting into her shoes, her clothes, trapped in the wrappings of her arms. It gets everywhere, and never leaves. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Rey sighs heavily as she steps into the abandoned Star Destroyer. She remembers seeing something yesterday, something that she hadn’t had the time to retrieve. She climbs down the ropes she had put up years ago, and searches the small room. It’s empty and she makes a noise of frustration. Someone has already come and taken it, whatever it is. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Something flickers on the edge of her vision and she turns, spotting a shiny piece of metal in the corner. Rey grins. Maybe they didn't. Quickly, she kneels down and pulls out the shiny piece. Holding it up, she lets out a low whistle. If she’s not mistaken, this is something that will fetch at least three portions. She turns the grubby rod over in her hand, knocking out clumps of sand. Something about the artifact nags at Rey as she stows it in her bag. It feels odd, wrong to the touch, but she ignores it as she hops onto the speeder. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>There’s a beep from behind her and Rey whirls around. A droid, a cute one, beeps at her questioningly. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What?” she snaps. The droid recoils slightly, making harsh crackling noises as it moves and she sighs, hopping off the speeder. “It’s fine” she says reassuringly, approaching the droid slowly, “You have sand clogging your treads” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The droid beeps as it moves closer and Rey kneels, carefully scraping sand out of the crevices. The droid has a nasty scratch down one side of its body and Rey winces. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“Somebody should have taken better care of you” she mutters. The droid buzzes indignantly, rolling away slightly. “I’m sorry” Rey says, stowing her tools away, “What’s your name?” The droid beeps softly and Rey smiles, “BB-8? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rey” she stands and makes her way back to the speeder. The droid chases her. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“What?” she asks. BB-8 chirps again. “Sorry, I haven't seen your friend. I don’t know anyone by that name” BB chirps dejectedly and Rey sighs, “Fine. I’ll take you to the outpost, but that’s it” </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The droid whoops, and follows as Rey drives the speeder over the dunes. It’s fast, easily keeping up as Rey skids to a stop in front of the trader. She hops off, and the droid follows.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i> “No. Stay” she says. The droid doesn’t. It’s stubborn, she thinks with a smile, has a mind of its own. Perhaps she would get along with its owner. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The piece she dug out from the Destroyer weighs heavy, heavier than it should amongst the ship parts and scrap metal. Quickly, she digs it out and tucks it away in her speeder. The rod emits a strange tingle up her arm and she lets it go. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I don’t like that thing” she says to herself. BB-8 chirps and Rey smiles at it, hauling the rest of her gatherings to the trader. He glares at her as she unloads her findings onto the counter.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“All this is worth...one third portion” he says cruelly. Rey’s face falls slightly as she takes the small package. BB beeps sympathetically and the trader takes notice of it, peering over the counter. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“That droid” he muses, “Where did you get it?”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“I found it” Rey retorts, clutching her staff a little tighter. The trader snorts. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>“For the droid, I’ll give you...100 portions”</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>A stack of packages falls to the counter and Rey gathers them in her arms, marveling. This would feed her properly for the rest of the orbit at least. BB chirps sadly from beside her, rolling away slightly. Rey looks at it, looks back at the food, and makes a choice.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"The droid is not for sale." she says, pocketing the portion from her findings. She turns and BB follows her as she hops back on her speeder. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Her eye catches the strange thing and her hand touches it softly. It thrums slightly, a dormant heartbeat and she shudders involuntarily. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"Alright, BB' she says, smiling at the droid, "let's see if we can find your friend" </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>….</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>They're coming.<i></i></i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>That thought throws Finn back into consciousness. He immediately regrets it.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>His head is heavy and pounding as he sits up slowly. Memories and images that aren't his fill his head. A little droid, orange and white. An older woman, with a straight back and kind eyes, a planet of lush green. Desperation and fear, a very healthy amount of it. A crash and a wave of fire</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>Poe<i></i></i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Finn scrambles to his feet. He's in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by hills of gold on all sides. Over the crest of the tallest one, he spots a plume of smoke.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The crash is burning, slick black fuel alight across the sand. The sun bears down on Finn's head as he slides down the dunes, screaming Poe's name. No one answers.<br/>
Finn's hands scramble through burning wreckage as he smashes open the cockpit. He spots the sleeve of Poe's jacket and pulls on it.</i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>"I got you-" his voice falters as all that comes out is jacket. There's a rumble, and Finn stumbles away. The ship is sinking into the sand, fire and metal swallowed by merciless gold. Finn barely has time to scramble away, jacket in hand, before the ship explodes in a plume of sand and smoke. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>He stares at the remains, the wreckage, hands buried in his regulation length hair. “No” he whispers. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>There is nothing to be done, he is dead,<i><i></i></i> his trooper brain whispers. <i>Emotion is weakness. Leave. Run. Ignore the foolish mission. Keep yourself safe.</i> <i><br/>
<i>You’re free,<i></i></i> something else whispers, in Poe’s voice.<i> <i>Free to run or stay, free to care. Free to feel. Help the people, fulfill the mission. Find him. He’s alive<i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i>
    
  
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>His trooper brain wins. Almost. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Finn’s feet drag as he treks away in a random direction. The sun is so hot and so intense, that Finn strips off his armour, discarding it along the way. There’s a savage thrill of leaving the glaring white plastoid to warp and age in the dreadful sands. He’s free. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Soon, all he has is the black undersuit and Poe’s jacket shielding him from the sun. He treks over hills that all look the same, throat drying out with every scorching breath. He has been in the energy room of Starkiller Base, in heat so intense it has killed. Finn thinks this might be worse. Especially the sand, rough and burning. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Finally, he sees a village, an outpost really. His feet run, tripping over themselves at the prospect of water. He rushes down into the dune, swooping Poe’s jacket on. It smells of jet fuel and smoke.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Water?” he pants out. The merchants ignore his requests, waving him off. Several snap at him in languages he doesn’t understand. Finally, he spots it, a trough of water just laying in the open. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>He falls to his knees by it, scooping water into his mouth. It’s tepid, almost lukewarm, and tastes like shit. Finn looks up and sees an animal looking at him quizzically before lowering its head to drink, but the desperation takes over and he fills his stomach with the disgusting, lifesaving liquid. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Finally, sated, he stands, wiping his mouth. The terrible aftertaste lingers and he smacks his lips in disgust. His eyes search the outpost warily as he stumbles for shade, anything to get him out of the glaring sun. Maybe he can hitch a ride, find work in exchange for transport to the Outer Rim. Tatooine, maybe, although he thinks he’ll hate it just as much as here. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>There’s a commotion behind him, and he turns to see a woman wielding a staff. She’s fighting off two brown wrapped assailants with ease, knocking them to the ground with a cruel sweep of the staff. Finn watches as she lifts a brown cloth, covering a lump sitting next to her. The lump beeps.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>It’s an orange and white droid, small and cute and Finn gasps when he realizes that it matches the exact same one in the memories that aren’t his. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“BB-8” he says softly. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>The droid must have heard somehow, despite their proximity, because it looks over at Finn, chirping frantically to the woman.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Who?” He hears her ask. BB chirps angrily and the woman looks right at him, eyes hardened. Finn barely has any time to stumble backwards before the woman is sprinting at him, staff in attack position. It takes him a second before his mind tells him to run away before he gets his brains bashed in.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>He dodges a couple merchants, weaving through stalls. The footsteps behind him fade and he thinks he’s lost her when something hard drives into his stomach, knocking him down. He groans.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“What’s with the hurry, thief?” the woman has her staff pointed at his face, poised to stab down. He puts his hands up.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Thief?” he says incredulously, panting for breath. The droid rolls up and shocks him on the leg. Finn convulses slightly, yelling as the muscles in his leg seize up.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Ow.” He says angrily. The droid beeps, without remorse</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“The jacket. The droid says you stole it” The woman clarifies. The droid beeps, self satisfied, as it retreats slightly.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Listen” Finn says, panting, “I’ve already had a pretty fucked up day, and I don’t need stupid accusations- OW!” The stupid droid shocks him on the leg again and Finn glares at it mutinously, “Quit it!”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Where’d you get it? It belongs to his master” the woman says insistently.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Poe” the name pops out before Finn can stop it. The droid whirs questioningly and Finn looks at it, “Poe Dameron” BB-8 lets out a series of chirps and whistles and the woman looks at Finn curiously</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“BB wants to know how you ended up with his jacket” she clarifies.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“He was captured by the First Order” Finn says, heaving a sigh, “I helped him escape, but our ship crashed” his voice breaks on the word ‘crashed’.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Poe didn’t make it”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>The droid lowers its head with a moan of dejection. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“I’m sorry” Finn says, tongue thick in his mouth. The droid rolls off, but the woman stays, looking at him curiously.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Are you with the Resistance?” she asks quietly, hopefully. Finn weighs his options quickly. Lie and get this woman’s help that he sorely needs, or tell the truth and get the butt end of her staff to his face</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Obviously” he says, scrambling up. He brushes off Poe’s jacket carefully. “Yup. I’m with the Resistance. A Resistance fighter. Resistance”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>She grins slightly, “I’ve never met a Resistance fighter before." she whispers conspiratorially. "BB-8 says he’s on a mission for you. He says he needs to get back to your base”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Yeah, He has a map to Luke Skywalker” Finn rambles, like the exhausted, dehydrated idiot he is, “Everyone’s after it”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Luke Skywalker?” She says, eyes wide as a moon, “I thought he was a myth”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>BB interrupts, chirping frantically. The woman’s head whips around. “What?”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Finn’s got a bad feeling about this</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>BB rolls away and the woman runs after him. Finn follows, and nearly has a heart attack at the sight of what BB was leading them to.</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>Troopers, dressed in white, roam the outer reaches of the outpost. Finn watches as a droid rolls by, and the troopers push aside it’s owner, holding the quivering man at gunpoint as his friend inspects the droid roughly. Quickly he grabs the woman’s hand. </i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“What the hell are you doing?” She shrieks. Finn winces as people look their way. His heart drops as the troopers see them, and begin advancing</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>
      <i>
        <i>
          <i>
            <i>
              <i>
                <i>“Come one, we have to go”</i>
              </i>
            </i>
          </i>
        </i>
      </i>
    </i>
  </i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Cliffhanger, because I needed to do it</p>
<p>What is the mysterious artifact. I'll give you three guesses</p>
<p>Kudos and Comments if you please. I would love you forever</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rathtars reckonings, and Rebellion Generals</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Guys. Im so tired. I miss Poe. I know this seems very similar to the Force Awakens, but I`m setting some things up, I promise</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey stares at the hand grasping hers as it pulls her along. BB-8 whirs after them as blaster fire pegs the stalls behind them. They’re running, faster than Rey has in her entire life. </p><p>“Let go of me!” she finally says, although her feet keep moving in the same direction. “I know how to run! You don’t have to hold my hand!” </p><p>The man lets go of her hand and turns. She follows, and ducks as a blaster bolt flies over her head, shattering a wooden post to splinters. “BB-8! Stay close!” The man looks desperate and Rey makes a split second decision. “This way!” She yells</p><p>They veer right, into more open space. The man shoulders her into an abandoned tent and she wheezes for breath. “They’re shooting at me” She huffs, more shocked than anything else.</p><p>“They saw you with me, you’re marked” The man says, rifling through the tent’s things. Rey’s hand moves almost automatically to the strange rod, tucked into her waistband.</p><p>“Thanks for that” she snaps. </p><p>“Hey, I’m not the one who knocked you down with a stick” the man snaps right back, “Does no one keep any fucking blasters around?” </p><p>Rey ignores his frantic search and kneels by BB-8. “Are you alright?”</p><p>The droid beeps back, but falls silent mid-sentence. There’s a beat of weighted silence, and Rey feels a thrum of terror up her spine. A faint scream of engines becomes louder and louder and she turns to see the man frozen and staring up at the ceiling. He rushes over and yanks her up, hand in hers.</p><p>“Stop taking my hand” she growls as they race out of the tent, but the words stutter to a halt at the sight of two imperial fighters screaming overhead</p><p>“Move!” the man shouts, pulling her along. They make it three steps before an explosion knocks them off their feet, Rey planting face first in the sand. </p><p>There’s a ringing in her ears as she clambers to her knees. The man lies on his back, and Rey thinks he’s dead until she sees the slight rise and fall of his chest. She scrambles over to him, ears pricked for the sound of engines roaring.</p><p>“Hey, get up” she says, jostling him. The man grunts slightly as he sits up. His eyes land on her and widen.</p><p>“Are you ok?” he says, so earnestly and honest that for a second, Rey falters at the new sensation of caring being aimed at her. She stares at him for a second. </p><p>“Yeah” she says, coming back to herself, “Follow me.” And this time, she extends her hand for the man to grab. They run again, Rey ducking instinctively as blaster bolts rain down from the sky behind her. The fighters scream overhead, missing by mere feet as Rey sprints for the shipyard. </p><p>“We can’t outrun them” the man screams, heaving for breath. His feet strike the sand like a heartbeat and Rey feels hope for the first time in a long while.</p><p>“We might!” She spots a quadjumper, a good quality one, sitting a few yards away. “In there!” Her feet quicken and she’s scorching her lungs with air that tastes of ozone and ion charge. </p><p>“We need a pilot” the man yells, BB-8 on his heels as they run</p><p>“We have one,” she says, more confidently than she feels.</p><p>“What about that ship?” the man points at one that’s closer to them, a hunk of mismatched parts that barely looks as if it will lift off, let alone break through the atmosphere. </p><p>“That one’s garbage!” Rey says, but something inside her makes her stop. A second later, the quadjumper is obliterated by a series of green plasma. She backs up and begins running for the garbage heap of a ship “The garbage will have to do” </p><p>They run up the open ramp, Rey slamming her hand against the manual lever that closes it as she passes. She runs down the twisting hallways, towards the pilot’s seat. “Gunner position is down there.” she says, knowing without even checking as she races for the cockpit. The man doesn’t question it, just follows her finger. </p><p>“You ever fly this thing?” she hears, an echo through the halls.</p><p>“No! This ship hasn’t flown in years!” She hears a garbled mix of expletives as she sits in the pilot’s seat, reaching up to flick on the ship’s main power. </p><p>“I can do this” she mumbles to herself, engaging auxiliary power as quickly as the old junkpile of a ship can engage. The thrusters flicker on with a roar and they’re lifting off. There’s a thrill up Rey’s spine as the ship leaves the sand and rises unsteadily into the air. Her elbow hits the throttle and the ship lists to the side as it starts shooting forwards</p><p>“I got this” she says, hands clenching the steering with a white knuckled grip. The ship collides with the ground twice more and Rey pulls up frantically, the ship shooting into the sky. </p><p>“Stay low” she hears, crackling over the archaic radio system, “It confuses their tracking”</p><p>Rey knows better than to ask, the ship gliding lowly along the dunes. Rey twists the steering to avoid the fighters blasting at them. </p><p>“Are you ever going to fire the damn blasters” she screams. </p><p>“I’m trying” comes the frantic reply, “Get the shields up!”</p><p>“That’s a little hard without a co-pilot” she yells back, twisting frantically out of the way of another series of blaster fire. BB-8 rolls over unsteadily, a prong protruding from his body to hit the toggle that engages the shields. Rey shoots him a grateful smile</p><p>“We need cover!” she hears. An image pops into her head, of the old Destroyer sitting desolated in the middle of the dunes not far from here. </p><p>“Got it covered!” She makes a sharp left and sees it over the crest of the dune. The ship obeys her every touch as she veers through the canyon of broken parts and carcasses of old ships. There’s a jolt as a bolt hits a weak part of the shield and Rey lets out a shriek as she struggles to maintain their altitude. </p><p>There’s a muffled explosion as the man finally manages to take out one of their pursuers, and Rey smiles widely, exhilarated. They dodge another derelict turret, trying to escape the remaining fighter. There’s a clunk and the man’s voice comes over the comm, frantic.</p><p>“The cannon’s stuck! It’s facing forwards”</p><p>Rey swears loudly and veers right, trying to lose the fighter. She spots the massive thrusters of the old Destroyer and a batshit crazy idea pops into her head. </p><p>“Get ready!”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>Rey ignores him and focuses, eyes trained on the curve of the thruster. Quickly, she executes a 180 and flies straight into the mouth of the thruster. The space is small and Rey can barely navigate through the twists and turns of the interior. She bites her lip in concentration as the fighter shoots at them, missing by inches. The space is getting smaller. Too small.</p><p>“Are we really doing this?” the man cries. Rey grits her teeth and makes a sharp turn, flying the ship into open air. The fighter follows and Rey flips off the power. Gravity takes over, pulling the ship upside down as it falls. She tightens her hand on the throttle, hoping that the man knows what she’s trying to do.</p><p>He does</p><p>There’s a telltale explosion and Rey pushes the throttle, leveling the ship out just before it hits the sand and aiming it at the clear blue sky. She can hear the man’s victorious screams and smiles her own wide, victorious smile as the sky around them darkens</p><p>There’s a telltale rumble as the ship breaks atmosphere and Rey thinks jubilantly,<i> I’m in space. </i></p><p>Rey flips on the autopilot and rushes out of the cockpit, meeting the man halfway down the hall.</p><p>“I can’t believe we made it” he says, mopping his brow “That was some flying”</p><p>“Thanks!” she says, exhilaration making her giddy</p><p>“No one taught you?”</p><p>“I’ve flown some ships before but I’ve never left the planet!” she says, “That last shot was incredible!”</p><p>“You set me up for that!” </p><p>They laugh, the joyful sound echoing through the ship. BB-8 chirps and Rey looks at him, concerned. </p><p>“You’re ok” she says reassuringly, “He’s with the Resistance. We’ll get you home” She stands and looks at the man, who’s happiness has eroded into something grim. “What’s your name?”</p><p>“Finn” he says, tongue tripping over the word slightly. “What’s yours?”</p><p>“Rey” </p><p>….</p><p>Finn should probably tell Rey he’s not Resistance. And he was going to. But then a pipe burst and she called for help and the moment was lost. </p><p>“It’s the motivator,” she says, popping out of her place under the floorboards, “Hand me that Harris wrench” </p><p>Finn’s brow furrows and he grabs for the tool she’s pointing at from the toolkit they found under the holotable. “How bad is it?”</p><p>“Not good, if you enjoy being alive.” She says from underneath the floor. He hands her the tool and she grimaces. </p><p>“The other one” she snaps, ducking back under. “BB-8 says the Resistance base is hidden, and I need to know where it is”</p><p>Finn tosses her the tool and beckons BB-8 over. “Listen” he says heavily, whispering, “I’m not with the Resistance” BB lets out a screech and Finn winces. Luckily, Rey didn’t hear</p><p>“I’m trying to get away from the First Order” he specifies, before the droid attacks or snitches or both, “If you tell me where your base is, I’ll get you there first. Deal?”</p><p>BB seems to contemplate this and Finn gives up all his dignity. “Droid, please” he begs. </p><p>“Pilex driver, over there!” Rey says. Finn tosses her the tool and glares at BB</p><p>“BB-8, tell her where the base is!” he says, eyes darting over to Rey purposefully. BB-8 chirps. Rey’s brow furrows and Finn thinks this Sith forsaken droid has sold him down the river when Rey bursts out “The Ileenium system?!”</p><p>“Yes, the Ileenium system” Finn says gratefully. He thinks that if droid could glare, BB-8 is doing it at him right now. “Get us there as fast as you can” He gives BB-8 a thumbs up. BB makes a disgruntled noise and pops out an appendage that could either be returning Finn’s gesture or flipping him off. Finn thinks it’s likely the latter</p><p>“I’m dropping you off at the Polemah Terminal” she says, pointing, “Hand me the bonding tape.”</p><p>“Why?” he asks, holding up a roll of black tape. </p><p>“Not that one” She snaps, “I have to get back to Jakku!”</p><p>“Why does everyone want to go back to fucking Jakku?” Finn fumes, tossing her another roll. She ducks down and the distressing hissing emitting from the floor stops. “Why the hell would you want to go back?” A thought hits him. A bitter one, “You got a family? A boyfriend?”</p><p>“None of your business” she snaps. Her words trail off as the lighting dies, leaving only the red emergency lighting. </p><p>“Uh oh” Finn says, standing. </p><p>“Uh oh is right” Rey hisses, jumping out of the floor and running. Finn follows as they reach the cockpit. </p><p>“Someone’s locked onto us. They’re pulling us in” Rey says heavily. </p><p>Finn clambers up, using Rey’s head as a handhold. She bats him off, but Finn’s too busy staring at the ominous ship pulling them in, all red lights and black metal like something from the depths of hell. Finn knows that aesthetic anywhere.</p><p>“It’s the First Order”</p><p>“What do we do?” Rey says, hand running along something stuck to her belt. </p><p>“What did you fix on the ship?” Finn asks, an idea popping into his head. </p><p>“Everything. The engine was screwy, the shields are patchy, the propulsion tank was fucking with the filter system and spewing poisonous gas everywhere-”</p><p>“That” Finn says, snapping his fingers. “Unfix it.” </p><p>Rey’s eyes widen comically, “What?” </p><p>“Unfix it!” Finn repeats. Something seems to click in Rey’s head and she sprints from the cockpit as an ominous clanking echoes from around the ship. </p><p>“Come on, BB-8” Finn says as Rey motions them under the flooring grates. He hops in and carefully sets BB down next to him. Rey barely has time to slip under the grate and pull it back into place when the sounds of someone boarding echo through the ship. </p><p>“Will this work on stormtroopers?” Rey asks quietly, hands unwinding the tape rapidly. </p><p>“Yes” Finn says immediately. Rey doesn’t question it, just hands him a mask and keeps unwinding. Finn looks up and sees the shadow of someone approaching. </p><p>“Hurry” he hisses. Rey throws a ball of unwound tape the floor, secures her mask, and begins untightening a screw. Slowly, white gas that makes Finn’s eyes water begins to seep out. The sound of walking overhead makes him start, and he knocks a wrench off a pipe. </p><p>He and Rey watch it fall in slow motion and hit the floor with an echoing clatter. The footsteps stop, and start again, echoing towards them. </p><p>The grate lifts suddenly, and Finn is staring at an old man, holding a blaster to his face. </p><p>“Where are the others” he says hoarsely. “Where’s the pilot?”</p><p>“I’m the pilot” Rey says quickly, breathing hard. </p><p>“You?” the man says incredulously. There’s a roar and Finn sees a Wookie’s head pop into view. If he almost soiled himself at the sight, no one needs to know that.</p><p>“It’s true” Rey stammers, “It’s just us” Finn watches as she puts on a spectacular innocent face. Finn would have believed her if he hadn’t seen her take out two people easily.</p><p>The man seems to ponder this for a second, before motioning with his blaster, “Get out of there” </p><p>Finn clambers out first, Rey following. BB-8 lets out a shrill squeal and Finn hoists the droid out with a grimace. </p><p>“Where the hell’d you find this ship?” the man asks gruffly. </p><p>“Niima Outpost. Jakku” Rey says immediately. </p><p>“Jakku? That junkyard?” the man says incredulously. Finn elbows Rey.</p><p>“See? Junkyard” Rey elbows him back, harder. Her elbows are really fucking pointy. </p><p>“Who had it?” The man asks. </p><p>“I stole it” Rey says defiantly, “From the trader Unkar Plutt, who stole it from the Iring Boys, who stole it from Raynar Ducain”</p><p>“Who stole it from me” The man says, stalking closer, “Well, you can tell him that Han Solo-” Finn’s mouth drops to the floor when he hears that name. </p><p>“Han Solo? You’re Han Solo? This is the Millenium Falcon?” Rey asks, eyes shining. Finn cowers back a little. He’s heard stories in his youth from older troopers, stories of the cruel, merciless pilot of the Millenium Falcon, but clearly Rey hasn’t. </p><p>“I was” the man says wistfully. Finn has his back pressed against the wall, watching Rey. </p><p>“Han Solo” he says a little breathily, “The Rebellion General?”</p><p>“No, the smuggler” Rey says, “He made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs!”</p><p>“Parsecs aren’t a measure of time-” Rey glares at him and Finn shuts his mouth. </p><p>“Hey!” Han growls, “Who the hell tampered with the ignition line? There’s a compressor!”</p><p>“Unkar Plutt did. I told him not to” Rey says, rolling her eyes, “it puts too much stress-”</p><p>“...on the hyperdrive” Han finishes, looking at Rey in a new light. Slowly, Finn peels himself off the wall. Han Solo doesn’t look dangerous, really. He looks like a grouch. </p><p>“Chewie, throw them in a pod” Han says and all of Finn’s warm feelings disappear. “Drop ‘em off at the nearest uninhabited planet” </p><p>“You can’t” Rey bursts out, “We need to get this droid to the Resistance” </p><p>“It’s carrying a map to Luke Skywalker” Finn finishes. That does the trick, because Han spins slowly, eyes a little wetter than they were before, although Finn pretends not to notice. </p><p>“Luke is alive?” He asks. Finn opens his mouth to answer, but a dull thud interrupts them. Han storms down the hall. Rey and Finn jump out of the way, before exchanging a glance.</p><p>“Don’t tell me a Rathtar’s gotten loose"” He grumbles. Finn makes an alarmed noise. </p><p>“You’re transporting RATHTARS???” his voice rises into an unmanly shriek. Han ignores him, peering at the security screens. </p><p>“It’s the Guavian Death Gang” Han mutters, before storming off again. </p><p>“Great” Finn mutters, “Rathtars and a death gang. Spectacular” </p><p>“What’s a Rathtar?” Rey asks, staff in hand as they speed walk down the hall. Finn grimaces, remembering the desolation of one of his former squads. </p><p>“Ever heard of the Trillia massacre?” he asks</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“Good. Rathtars are nasty bastards” Finn says, shivering slightly. He had to clean up after it. It had not been a pleasant experience</p><p>“And I got three of ‘em going to the Andivar System” Han grunts.</p><p>“How the hell did you get them on board?” Finn asks. Han doesn’t answer, just opens up a maintenance tunnel and ushers them inside. </p><p>“Stay there, stay quiet, and don’t even think about taking the Falcon” Han orders, and Finn can see why people told stories about the famed General. He’s scared of the look on Han’s face.</p><p>“What about BB-8?” Rey asks, slipping into the tunnel. </p><p>“He stays with me” Han says, “Get going” </p><p>“What about the Rathtars? Where are they?” Finn demands, fear making his palms sweat. </p><p>There’s an answering thud and Rey screams as a massive eyes appears in the window of the ship. Finn jumps back, reaching for a blaster that isn’t there. </p><p>“There’s one” Han says, matter of fact. Finn slips into the tunnel with Rey, and Han shuts the door on top of them. </p><p>“Well” Finn fumes, knees already aching on the hard floor of the tunnel, “This is a fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into” </p><p>Rey prods him and points down the tunnel. “We have to help him. If we can get to the armory-”</p><p>“There’s an armory?” Finn whisper-shrieks</p><p>“-then maybe we can get the drop on them” They crawl, until the voices are directly overhead. </p><p>“Can you see them?” Rey whispers. Finn peers through the grate and sees nothing but black. </p><p>“No” They crawl a little further and look up, again. Finn pales. </p><p>“That’s a lot of blasters” he says, mouth dry. </p><p>Finn can hear the conversation going sideways now. For as good a bargainer Han says he his, he’s going down remarkably quick. </p><p>“More assailants, the other way” he whispers to Rey, who grimaces. </p><p>“We have to hurry” she replies. Finn begins crawling, but stops. </p><p>“That BB unit” he hears from overhead, “The First Order is looking for one just like it. And two fugitives”</p><p>Rey and Finn exchange a glance, terrified. </p><p>“Crawl faster” Finn decides. </p><p>“Wait” Rey says, scooting over to a panel covered in buttons. “If we open the blast doors to that corridor, we can trap both gangs”</p><p>“Can you do that from here?”</p><p>“If I reset the fuses” Finn watches as she skims the buttons with her fingers, which settle on two. She slams them with her fists. </p><p>There’s a faint, echoing screech, and Rey’s face goes white. </p><p>“Oh no”</p><p>“Oh no, what?” Finn asks. Rey looks up, dread on her face</p><p>“Wrong fuses” </p><p>Then all hell breaks loose</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Han. I love him. </p><p>Kudos, Comments, and feedback if you please</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Fury</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An escape, a dream, a hidden sorrow and an ugly rage</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's a little shorter today because:<br/>a) I just got new glasses and they give me a headache<br/>b) I got a twenty page term paper due next week that I haven't started<br/>c) Things just didn't work out, ya know?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey’s crawling again, and Finn is on her heels. </p>
<p>The screeches get louder, and Finn can hear screaming now, and even grosser, more terrifying noises that he refuses to describe. </p>
<p>“This was a terrible idea” he screams.</p>
<p>“Huge” Rey replies. The screeching is getting deafening, a cacophony of screams and wails, and Finn is sure it will haunt him for ages after. Rey pushes on a section of roof and it pops up. She goes up first and Finn follows reluctantly. </p>
<p>The hallways are clear enough, and she takes off running, Finn following her.</p>
<p>“What do these things look like?” She asks as they turn the corner. Finn opens his mouth to respond, but stops when he sees the roiling mass of tentacles, teeth and eyeballs and <i>is that a leg hanging out of its mouth?</i></p>
<p>“That” Finn whimpers, “They look like that” </p>
<p>“Run!” Rey yells, dragging Finn along with her as they sprint away from the monstrous thing, which throws aside the corpse it was chowing down on and gives chase. Rey seems to know where to go, dodging bandits and making sharp turns to avoid the beast. </p>
<p>“This way!” she yells, dragging them down another hallway. Finn takes two steps after her and falls. Something is wrapped around his leg and drags him backwards. He lets out a wordless scream, scrabbling at the grate for a handhold as the Rathtar drags him towards its gaping mouth.</p>
<p>“Finn!” Rey screams. Finn looks up at her as she readies her staff and charges at the monster. </p>
<p>“No, don’t!” he yells, but Rey leaps over him, tip of her staff slamming into a button by the airlock door. The door clamps shut with a hiss, severing the tentacles with a spray of gelatinous yellow blood. Finn gags as he pushes the still flopping tentacles off his body.</p>
<p>“That-” he stifles another retch, “-was nasty”</p>
<p>“Worked, didn’t it?” Rey says, helping him up, “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>They race through the halls of the huge ship. Faintly, Finn hears the roar of the Wookie. He follows it, dragging Rey along with him until they’re in sight of Han and the Wookie, blasting thugs and Rathtars alike. </p>
<p>“Move it!” Han yells, motioning up the ramp of the Falcon. Rey races up first, Finn hot on her heels as she sprints for the cockpit. </p>
<p>“Make sure they’re on board!” She yells. Finn races back to the ramp just in time to see Han seal the door. </p>
<p>“Tell that girl to get out of the cockpit” he growls, “I’m flying”</p>
<p>“Tell her yourself” Finn pants. The ship jostles slightly as it lifts off, and Han pushes Finn to the side as he storms for the cockpit. The Wookie makes a noise akin to laughing and nudges Finn along. They squeeze themselves into the cockpit, Chewbacca squishing Finn against the wall with his bulk.</p>
<p>Rey and Han twist around each other, slamming buttons and pushing throttles with almost perfect synchronicity. </p>
<p>“The hyperdrive wiring is faulty” Rey cries, holding up a broken toggle, “BB, hold this” She tosses it past Finn’s face and the droid catches it as Rey rips the panel off the ceiling.</p>
<p>“Stop fucking around with my ship” Han orders as he clenches the steering. Rey ignores him, carefully twisting two wires together. The ship roars a little louder and Han smiles.</p>
<p>“Hold on, baby,” he says. Rey slams the panel back on and presses the button. Space blurs, the stars streaking into a white tunnel as they jump into hyperspace. Almost immediately, an alarm goes off. </p>
<p>“It’s the hyperdrive” Han snaps, “Chewie” </p>
<p>“I got it” Rey says, clambering up the side of the cockpit and ripping off another panel. This time, Han makes no objections as she roots around. </p>
<p>“Hurry up” he growls, “or we’ll be scattered across eight different systems”</p>
<p>“Got it!” There’s a crack, and the alarms abruptly stop. Han looks at Rey, bewildered, as she drops back into the seat with a smile.</p>
<p>“What the hell did you do” Han asks. Rey holds up a mangled compressor, and it clicks for Finn a second before she says it.</p>
<p>“I bypassed the compressor” She says with a grin, tossing the part down onto the counter. Han stares at it for a second, and looks up again.</p>
<p>“Huh” </p>
<p>Finn flops down onto the floor, and BB rolls over, chirping at him insistently. </p>
<p>“I don’t understand you, droid” he sighs. Rey glances over and BB-8 beeps again.</p>
<p>“He wants us to follow him”</p>
<p>BB-8 rolls down the hallway into what seems like a lounge area. Han leaves Chewie at the helm and follows. They all stand, waiting pensively, as BB-8 rolls over to the middle of the floor. Finn watches as the droid’s holoprojector flickers to life, displaying a star map of a system Finn has never seen before. </p>
<p>“Is that…?” he starts. </p>
<p>“The map to Skywalker” Han says, something new in his voice. “That old bastard” He aims a kick at a bucket and sends it flying. Finn realizes that his voice is grief ridden. Han Solo was mourning, is mourning, for Luke Skywalker</p>
<p>“Why would he leave?” Rey asks. </p>
<p>“Don’t ask me” Han snaps, “The kriffing nerf-herder didn’t even tell us he was alive. Didn’t even tell his goddamn<i> sister-</i>”</p>
<p>“But why?” Rey persists, and Finn makes a cutoff motion at her. This Han is not someone to be trifled with.</p>
<p>"He was training a new generation of Jedi" Han says, voice heavy with grief and longing, "one of them...he went rogue, killed all the Jedi in training. Until now, we thought he killed Luke too" </p>
<p>"It's real then" Rey breathes, "the Jedi were real" </p>
<p>"Real as you and I" Han says grimly, "the Force, the Jedi...the Sith. All real" </p>
<p>There's a blip, and Finn's eye catches the navigation system. Han leans over it, eyes roaming. </p>
<p>"We got a couple hours until we drop out of hyperspace" he says, "take a nap or something. Just get out of my sight" </p>
<p>Finn doesn't need to be told twice, all the adrenaline of the day fleeing his body. Rey leads him over to a room with four cots, and he collapses into one immediately</p>
<p>He falls asleep to the sound of the ship's thrusters. </p>
<p>…...</p>
<p>It's dark. </p>
<p>Rey stands in a cave, damp stone on all sides but one. Slowly, she advances, turning the corner. In the middle of the cave is a single shaft of sunlight shining from high overhead.</p>
<p>Sitting in the sunlight is a man. A boy really, a handsome one. He has shoulder length hair and his legs are crossed as he sits on the floor. </p>
<p>"Hello?" Rey calls out cautiously. The boy's eyes open. They're a piercing blue. </p>
<p>"Hello" he says, "I've been expecting you" </p>
<p>Rey doesn't know how to respond to that. She sits cross legged across from him. The boy nods. </p>
<p>"How do you know who I am?" she asks hesitantly. The boy smiles widely. </p>
<p>"The Force told me" he says pleasantly. His fingers dance across his folded legs idly as he stares into Rey's soul.</p>
<p>"The Force?" Rey asks in surprise. The boy makes a soft noise of assent. </p>
<p>"It told me who you were, Rey" he says, flicking a strand of hair out of his eyes. "I've wanted to meet you for quite a while now" </p>
<p>"Are you a Jedi?" she asks. The boy makes a non committal murmur.</p>
<p>"Perhaps. Of a sort, I suppose, although the Jedi Order and I never quite got along, towards the end" </p>
<p>"Will you ever stop speaking riddles?" </p>
<p>The boy smiles wider. "I suppose I could, but it would not be as fun" </p>
<p>"You're strange" Rey says, wrinkling her nose. The boy laughs, from deep within his stomach, head thrown back. </p>
<p>"I suppose I am" he says. "What do you know of the Force, Rey?" </p>
<p>"Nothing. I didn't even know it was real until today" </p>
<p>"It's very real," the boy nods, "real, and inside of you" </p>
<p>"Isn't in all of us? That's kind of it's thing, isn't it?" Rey asks. The boy tilts his head. </p>
<p>"I suppose, but some are more… sensitive to it" he muses, "That tingle, in the back of your head. That instinct. That feeling." He looks into Rey's eyes. </p>
<p>"You feel it." </p>
<p>"I-" Rey stutters. She thought everyone had that, that little intuition. She had no one to ask otherwise, so she had just assumed, "you mean not everyone has that?" </p>
<p>"No, Rey. You're special. You've always been special" There's a tremor in the floor and the boy looks up. "It's time for you to go, Rey" </p>
<p>"What?" She scrambles to her feet, "but I have so many questions!" </p>
<p>"And I will answer all of them" The boy says urgently, "now, wake up" </p>
<p>
  <i>Wake up</i>
</p>
<p>….</p>
<p>Kylo Ren was angry. Furious. Men cowered before him. He could take life with a twitch of his finger. He was the grandson of Darth Vader, the chosen one of the Sith. He has claimed his birthright. </p>
<p>And a single, insolent traitor stands to take it all away. </p>
<p>Kylo strikes the dashboard again with his crackling saber, carving another glowing orange gash into the wall. The officer behind him flinches, and Kylo spins, breathing heavily. </p>
<p>“What else?” he snarls, “You know something else. What?”</p>
<p>The officer gulps heavily and Kylo straightens his back, emanating pure power and authority. He could kill this man easily and he wants him to know it. </p>
<p>“They were accompanied...by a girl” He stutters. Kylo’s fist clenches, and the man lets out a squeak as his airway compresses slightly. </p>
<p>“What girl?” He growls</p>
<p>“A scavenger” the officer hisses out, scrabbling at his neck slightly, “from Jakku. Nobody”</p>
<p>“No...Not nobody” Kylo hisses. He squeezes tighter, and the man’s feet leave the ground and his eyes bug out of his head. His lips are turning blue. “Tell me everything”</p>
<p>“General Hux ordered-” Beneath his helmet, Kylo’s lip curls. </p>
<p>“General Hux will meet the same fate as you if you do not reveal everything to me.” Kylo pushes mental fingers into the man’s mind and he cries out. </p>
<p>“She escaped on the Millenium Falcon, sir. We believe the Rebellion general Han Solo may be working with her and the traitor” </p>
<p>Kylo’s finger twitches, and the man is slammed bodily into the ground. He gasps for air as Kylo strides past, lightsaber still drawn in his trembling hand. </p>
<p>“Contact Supreme Leader Snoke” he commands, “Tell him it’s urgent”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow, a mysterious boy in a dream? Wonder who he could be</p>
<p>Kudos and Comments make my life worth living, so validate me please</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Fear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A dream, a truth, and a saber</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm tired</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey wakes up to a faceful of brown fur in her face. </p>
<p>Chewbacca roars slightly, and Rey jolts up from her cot. Chewie roars again and walks away, revealing Finn standing nervously behind him. Finn wrings his hands slightly, and Rey squints at him, confused. </p>
<p>“What?” she asks, sweeping off the covers. Finn shakes his head</p>
<p>“Nothing, just…” Finn opens his mouth to continue, but snaps it shut, “Nothing, nevermind. It’s stupid”</p>
<p>Rey shrugs and Finn turns on his heel, hurrying away. Rey is about to follow when something calls her back. She turns and the metal rod she picked up from the Destroyer glints up at her from the cot. She picks it up gently, peering at the rod. It seems harmless, covered in grit that is caked into the cracks. Carefully, she twists it. </p>
<p>The rod pops apart into two pieces and something falls out. Rey lets out a tiny yelp of surprise and catches the tiny piece before it hits the floor. It’s a small crystal, glinting in the light. </p>
<p>“Rey!” Finn calls from the cockpit. Rey quickly puts the crystal back into it’s chamber, and twists the two pieces back together. She stows it away and hurries over to the cockpit, where a harried looking Han sat at the helm. Rey peers out, watching as they descended through a cover of trees. </p>
<p>“It’s beautiful” she said softly. Han looked back at her, gruff exterior melting slightly. </p>
<p>“Never seen a tree before?”</p>
<p>Rey shakes her head, “Not in person.”</p>
<p>The second they touch down, Rey almost bounces off the ship. The air outside is clean and cool and doesn’t dry her lungs with every breath. She just stands, eyes closed, smelling the greenery in the air and feeling a cool breeze that doesn’t bake her skin, and hearing something chirp somewhere in the trees to her left. The sun doesn’t scorch here. It warms. It grows. The sound of the water rippling is music to her. </p>
<p>She hears footsteps behind her and turns to see Han approaching, holding something shiny in his hand. A thrill of fear runs through her, but it’s just a blaster, which he holds out to her.</p>
<p>“You might need this” He says. Rey smiles wryly</p>
<p>“I think I can handle myself”</p>
<p>“I know. That’s why I’m giving it to you”</p>
<p>Rey takes the blaster, marveling at the lightness and novelty. She points it at a tree, closing an eye as she takes aim.</p>
<p>“You know how to use one of those?” Han asks, hands on his hips. </p>
<p>“Pull the trigger?” Rey offers, feeling a newfound sense of power as she imagines the bolt punching a hole in the tree. </p>
<p>“There’s more to it than that” Han says tiredly, pushing the blaster down. “You got a lot to learn. You got a name?”</p>
<p>Rey realizes that she hasn’t even introduced herself. “Rey”</p>
<p>“Mmm” Han says, staring across the lake. “I’ve been thinking about getting another crew, Rey. Someone to help out, a second mate to keep up with Chewie and I, appreciates the Falcon…” he trails off and Rey’s grin is so big she thinks it might split her face.</p>
<p>“You’re offering me a job?” she says</p>
<p>“Doesn’t pay much. And I’m not a nice person to be around”</p>
<p>“You are offering me a job”</p>
<p>“I’m thinking about it” Han grumbles, but Rey can see the smile in his eyes. There are laugh lines in the corners of his eyes, and they crinkle slightly. But then she remembers. They’re coming. She has to go back. She has to wait. That’s her purpose, not starjumping with a famous smuggler. Her smile falls.</p>
<p>“Well?” Han asks. He can feel her hesitation. </p>
<p>“If you were offering me a job, I’d be flattered” she says, “But I have to go home”</p>
<p>Han laughs a little, incredulous, “Jakku? Why?”</p>
<p>“I’ve been away too long” Rey says, dodging the question. Han sighs and begins walking.</p>
<p>“That’s too bad,” he says with a bit of a smile, “Chewie kinda likes you”</p>
<p>Rey follows him, Finn catching up to her. </p>
<p>“What did he ask you?” he asks, tripping slightly as they walk down a rough dirt path through the grass. Rey wiggles her fingers slightly, feeling the taller grasses bend towards them, and brushing her fingers through their stalks. </p>
<p>“He offered me a job” she replies. Finn coughs in surprise</p>
<p>“What did you say?” he hurries, a morsel of fear tinting his voice</p>
<p>“I said no. I have to go back to Jakku” Finn sighs with relief</p>
<p>“Good. That’s good” </p>
<p>Rey looks at him oddly, but shrugs it off. Finn smiles at her and she knocks her shoulder into his, in a sort of camaraderie. It’s clearly a new sensation for both of them, because Finn flinches slightly before smiling widely at her. </p>
<p>“Hey Solo” Finn says loudly, as they approach what looks like a large stone temple. Rey gazes up at it, amazed. It’s so big, bigger than any building she’s seen before. “Where are we going?”</p>
<p>“To see a friend” Han responds, “We’re gonna get that droid of yours on a clean ship”</p>
<p>“Clean?” Rey asks, bemused. Han looks back at her with a wry grin.</p>
<p>“If we could find the Falcon on our paltry scanners, the First Order’s definitely on your tail” he says, “If you want to get BB-8 to the Resistance, Maz Kanata is our best bet”</p>
<p>They enter a courtyard strung with faded flags of every colour and a statue of a woman with huge goggles over her eyes. Rey gapes up at it as they pass.</p>
<p>“We can trust her, right?” Finn asks, a little frantic</p>
<p>“Relax, kid,” Han says as they climb the stairs, “She’s run this watering hole for a thousand years. If that hasn’t killed her by now, nothing will”</p>
<p>Rey climbs the stars, blaster held loosely in her hand. She’s been in so called watering holes before, and lets just say no one walks away unscathed. </p>
<p>“Maz is a bit of an acquired taste” Han warns, “So do not, under any circumstances, open your mouth unless I say otherwise, got it?” He turns and levels them with a severe gaze, “And do not stare”</p>
<p>“At what?”</p>
<p>“Anything”</p>
<p>The door opens and mellow music blasts out as they enter. The room is filled with beings of all shapes, sizes, and species, drinking merrily together. Rey takes two steps and yelps as a tiny being is thrown past her. Perhaps not so merry after all. Han approaches what looks like a bar, and there’s a yell, louder than the music.</p>
<p>“HAN SOLO” </p>
<p>The cantina goes dead quiet and Rey gulps nervously. Everyone turns to stare at them as a short orange being with massive goggles pushes her way through the crowd. Finn leans over carefully. </p>
<p>“If anything goes bad, we shove Han into the crowd and make a break for it” he whispers in Rey’s ear. She nods mutely.</p>
<p>“Oh boy” Han says softly, and then louder, “Hey Maz!”</p>
<p>The music and chatter resume slowly as Maz makes her way over. She’s about as tall as the middle of Rey’s thigh, but her personality more than makes up for it as she looks deep into Han’s eyes</p>
<p>“Where’s my boyfriend?” She asks sternly. Finn looks at Rey, raising his eyebrows and mouthing, <i>boyfriend? </i>She shrugs. </p>
<p>“Chewbacca’s back at the ship making repairs” Han says with an uneasy laugh. </p>
<p>“I like that Wookie” Maz says. Her magnified eyes sweep the motley group and Rey’s hairs stand on end when Maz’s gaze lands on her. Rey smiles slightly and Maz’s eyes flick back to Han. “I assume you need something. Again. Come on”</p>
<p>She walks away and the trio follow her. They walk over to a more secluded table, Maz telling off and topping up as they go. All the occupants, ranging from hulking to tiny, respect her equally. Rey is impressed. </p>
<p>“A map to Skywalker?” Maz exclaims, laughing, “Oh, Solo, you just couldn’t stay out of it, no matter how hard you tried” </p>
<p>“This map needs to get back to Leia” Han says quietly. Maz simply flicks a finger, and there’s a drink in front of each of them. Rey takes a tentative sip, and the cool, slightly spicy drink leaves her feeling alert. Maz nods in approval as Rey drinks again. </p>
<p>“Will you help us?” Han persists. Maz considers</p>
<p>“Hmmm...no” she decides, taking a swig of her own drink. Rey sees Finn’s eyes bug out of his head as he leans forwards. Rey makes a cutting off motion as Maz keeps talking. </p>
<p>“You’ve been running from this fight for too long.” Maz says wisely, “Your time of mourning is over. For your best friend, for your marriage, for your so-”</p>
<p>“Maz” Han says warningly. Maz clucks. </p>
<p>“Oh, Han” she says, before lapsing into a dialect Rey doesn’t know, “Go home.” </p>
<p>“She doesn’t want to see me” Han says, taking a deep drink from his own cup.</p>
<p>“Please” Finn bursts out. “We need your help”</p>
<p>“What fight?” Rey asks, at nearly the same time. </p>
<p>“The only fight” Maz says solemnly, “Against the Dark Side. Through the ages, I’ve seen evil take many forms” Rey can feel Maz’s gaze piercing her very soul and something inside her stirs. There’s a little nag in her brain, something calling from far away and she shakes her head slightly. </p>
<p>“The First Order is not the first evil born from the Dark Side of the Force. And they will not be the last.” Maz smiles softly, wistfully, “But we must always battle the Dark with the Light. We must always strive for balance. We must fight back. All of us”</p>
<p>“There is no fight against the First Order” Finn snaps, and Rey looks at him in shock. He continues, “There is no victory. There is only death, or pain, or both if you’re really unlucky. This is not a war we can win”</p>
<p>“Finn...” Rey starts, but her tongue stutters to a stop. This is not something she expected from a Resistance fighter, but Finn’s eyes are haunted. He’s telling what he believes is true, and Rey, against all hope and faith, thinks she might believe him. The nag returns, and she doesn’t push it away this time.</p>
<p>“Look around” Finn says harshly, “There’s no chance that the First Order isn’t on their way. Someone has to have recognized us- What are you doing?”</p>
<p>Maz has stood. She is crawling across the table, her goggles making her eyes grow as she peers into Finn’s eyes. Rey watches, confused, as Maz looks at Finn with squinted eyes. Rey looks over at Han, and sees the man is staring into his empty glass. </p>
<p>“If you live as long as I have” Maz muses, “You see the same eyes on different people. These are the eyes of a man who wants to run” </p>
<p>“You don’t know anything about me” Finn says, but Rey knows those eyes too. She’s seen them in the mirror one too many times. Finn wants nothing but to run, far away. </p>
<p>“You don’t know what the First Order does. I’ve seen things” Finn hisses, so venomously that Rey scoots away slightly, “We should all run. They’ll slaughter us if we don’t”</p>
<p>“Hmm” is all Maz says.She scoots back into her chair and folds her arms. “Those two over there. They’ll trade labour for transport to the Outer Rim. You can disappear there”</p>
<p>Rey blinks. She must be seeing things, because Finn, Resistance fighter, looks like he’s considering it. </p>
<p>“Finn?” She asks. Finn looks at her, and she sees regret and resolve in his eyes. </p>
<p>“Come with me” He says, and Rey remembers him, laying on the sand, earnestly asking if she was alright. </p>
<p>“What about BB? What about the Resistance?” She asks instead, pulling herself out of the memories. “We’re not done yet. You have to finish this” BB-8 chirps in agreement. </p>
<p>“I can’t” Finn says, and Rey looks into the eyes of a man who has fought a deep and bitter battle with himself and lost. Horribly. Finn nods carefully as he stands and walks away. Something inside Rey wants him to turn back, but he doesn’t. He just walks away. </p>
<p>Rey looks desperately at Han, who just looks sadly back at her. Too much defeat in the eyes of men who she thought had hope. She stands and walks after Finn, fists clenched at her sides. </p>
<p>Someone needs to finish this</p>
<p>She sees Finn talking to two beings dressed in the clothing of mercenaries and strides over. </p>
<p>“What are you doing?” she asks. Finn looks at the mercenaries, consternated.</p>
<p>“Don’t leave without me,” he says, before he stands. Rey spots an alcove, hidden up a flight of stairs and leads Finn over to it. </p>
<p>“You can’t just go” Rey says, as soon as she turns to face him, “I won’t let it happen”</p>
<p>“I’m not who you think I am” Finn says, voice cracking slightly. Rey shakes her head. Nothing was this complicated back on Jakku. </p>
<p>“What are you talking about?” She asks, desperate. There are thoughts, bad ones, blooming in her head, and she doesn’t want them to be true. </p>
<p>“I’m not Resistance” Finn bursts out, and Rey’s breath catches. She should have known, should have seen in the way the man pushes to run away, the droid’s hesistance around him. The signs were there. But she had been too blinded by her hope to see it. She takes a small step back. </p>
<p>Finn wasn’t done though. “I’m a stormtrooper” he confesses shamelessly, and it all clicks into place. The gunning prowess. The odd fear of Han Solo. The way Finn stood a little too straight and spoke a little too formally. “Like all of them, I was taken from a family I never knew” Finn continues, unaware of the turmoil in Rey’s mind. “And raised to do one thing. But I made the choice. I ran instead of killing. Right into you” He taps a finger against Rey’s collarbone and she shifts away slightly. “I can’t go back. I’ll never go back. I’m done” </p>
<p>“Rey, come with me” </p>
<p>There are tears in her eyes, a lump in her throat, and she swallows them back, pushing them away, deep into a place where things with no purpose remain. “Don’t go” she says fervently. If she can convince him, maybe he’ll come. Maybe he’ll stay. No one ever stays and Rey realizes that that is the only reason she’s holding on so tight. </p>
<p>“Take care of yourself” is all Finn says. He walks away, leaving Rey standing at the top of the stairs. All she can hear is herself, ten years ago, screaming as the ship carrying her family breaks the atmosphere and vanishes. </p>
<p>
  <i>They always leave. </i>
</p>
<p>She’s walking, listless. Memories wash over her, memories of sorrow and loss and pain because no one ever stays. No one ever stays. </p>
<p><i>Come back </i>she thinks, <i>please. </i></p>
<p>Her foot hits cold stone and she trips slightly. Somehow, she stands in a cold stone tunnel. A basement, perhaps. There are flames flickering in lanterns along the long tunnel, and something echoes, pulling her towards the end. Her hand touches the wall, and the sensation is so familiar that she gasps. </p>
<p>The end of that hall is illuminated with weak sunlight, and Rey almost expects a boy with long hair and blue eyes to be there, but there is nothing but a trunk sitting in the pool of light. She approaches slowly, feet moving almost of their own accord as they reach the edge of the sun</p>
<p>She kneels, and her hands move, opening the latch of the trunk. She hears a beep behind her and turns to see BB-8, head tilted at her. He beeps encouragingly, and Rey opens the trunk. Something inside her sings as the trunk’s lid creaks open. </p>
<p>Inside is a shiny rod, so similar yet so different from the one she found on Jakku. She lifts it out with tentative fingers, feeling the smooth grooves in the metal. Her hand closes around it and something sighs, a deep guttural breath. </p>
<p>She stands, and suddenly she’s not in a stone tunnel, but one of black and chrome. There’s an echoing scream and Rey’s heartbeat pounds against her ribs. There are voices at the end of the tunnel and Rey runs towards them. There’s a rumble and Rey lets out a silent shriek as the tunnel collapses, tilting and crumbling as it flings her to the side</p>
<p>She rolls, almost on instinct, and a huge stone barely misses her. She looks up and sees fire, destruction, a hooded figure and a droid in the middle of it all. She calls out to it and the sparks swirling through the air turn into rain. </p>
<p>There’s another scream, and Rey gasps as a body falls next to her. She scrambles to her feet, gaping in horror at the black figure, a blazing red sword in his hand that causes the rain to sizzle in the air. She stumbles back as more figures join the sword wielder. He, and Rey knows somehow that the masked figure is a he, zeros in on her and stalks towards her, lifting his sword. Rey stumbles, and sees that she has tripped over the body of a man and she covers her mouth in horror</p>
<p>
  <i>No!</i>
</p>
<p>Rey turns as the man lifts the sword over her head and she’s looking herself, a small innocent child standing in the sands of Jakku as the ship flies away, leaving her alone. </p>
<p>
  <i>They always leave</i>
</p>
<p>Its red and black and Rey runs through a forest of snow. She turns and the man with the sword is there. She feels it’s heat against her skin and runs, dodging trees and she hears his breathing through the mask, always one step behind</p>
<p>
  <i>These are your first steps, Rey </i>
</p>
<p>Rey’s eyes blink open and she heaves for breath. The stones of the tunnel are cold against her back. She gasps, heartbeat slowing as she sits up. She can still feel the heat of the saber. </p>
<p>“Oh, child” Someone sighs, and Maz Kanata steps out of the shadows. </p>
<p>“What was that?” Rey asks, voice cracking. Maz sighs, walking towards Rey. She stands quickly.</p>
<p>“I shouldn’t have gone in there,” she says, “I’m sorry”</p>
<p>“No apologies for something that was not a fault” Maz says </p>
<p>“What was that?” Rey repeats, a hoarse whisper. </p>
<p>“That lightsaber was Luke’s” Maz says solemnly, and Rey can see, now, the years etched on her face, “And his father’s before him and now, it calls to you” </p>
<p>“I have to get back to Jakku” Rey says quickly, desperately. Maz sighs and removes her goggles, revealing small eyes surrounded by wrinkles. </p>
<p>“Han told me,” she says, holding out her hand. Rey takes it and kneels, as Maz looks into her eyes with a kind smile. </p>
<p>“Dear child, I see your eyes” Maz says, “You already know the truth.” Rey shakes her head mutely, but Maz persists.</p>
<p>“Whoever you’re waiting for on Jakku isn’t coming back” </p>
<p>Rey’s world shatters. </p>
<p>She can feel tears in her eyes, and glass in her heart because she knows it’s true. And finally, finally, she lets the tears fall as she mourns her family fifteen years late. </p>
<p>“But” Maz says, and Rey looks up at her, eyes wet, “There’s someone who still could”</p>
<p>“Luke” Rey says, voice crackling over the syllable. </p>
<p>“The people you seek are not in the past, but the future.” Maz says. “I am no Jedi, but I have known many. And I know the Force. It flows through everything, surrounds everyone. You feel it. It has always been there”</p>
<p>
  <i>You’re special. You’ve always been special</i>
</p>
<p>“Take the saber” Maz says and Rey shoot up, shaking her head. </p>
<p>“No” she says, voice trembling, “I’m never picking that thing up again. I don’t want any part of this”</p>
<p>And then, just like Finn, she runs. </p>
<p>She doesn’t stop, heaving for breath as she runs through the courtyard and down the beaten path. She doesn’t stop until she’s deep within the forest, surrounded by green on all sides.</p>
<p>She huffs for breath, and hears a beep behind her. She whirls around to see BB-8 standing there.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” She asks him, “You have to go back with Han. He’ll help you”</p>
<p>BB-8 begins chirping, but falls silent. Rey’s ears prick and she looks up, a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. </p>
<p>A second later, she hears the engine, the scream of ions and death and destruction as the ships fly overhead. </p>
<p>The First Order.</p>
<p>They’re here.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kudos and Comments s'il vous plait</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Desolate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A battle, a prisoner, and a darkness</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is it. This is where everything starts to change. It's happening guys. See? I'm not plagiarizing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finn will remember what happened this day for the rest of his life. This is the day he will tell his grandchildren about, the beginning of the end. The red lights streaking across the sky, he knew what it was. He knew what it meant. And he never told Rey that.</p>
<p>What he does do is run. Run to find Han, run to find Rey. </p>
<p>“It’s the First Order” he gasps out, grabbing the older man’s shoulder. The man is staring at the sky, not in awe or fear, but resignation, a grim determination carved into the lines of his face. To Finn’s dread, he realizes this is not the first time this man has witnessed the destruction of a planet. And then he notices another, very important thing. </p>
<p>“Where’s Rey”</p>
<p>“She’s gone” Maz says, emerging from the crowd. Finn does a double take.</p>
<p>“She’s gone??? What do you mean she’s gone??” </p>
<p>Maz doesn’t answer. Instead, she just says, “come,” and takes off in the direction of the cantina. Han follows, and Finn is right on his heels</p>
<p>“Surely, you can walk faster than that” Maz snaps, taking the steps two at a time even though they reach her waist. Han starts speedwalking and Finn is forced to catch up. They stumble through the cantina and down a flight of roughly hewn stone stairs. Han starts walking even faster and now Finn is borderline jogging.</p>
<p>“What’s going on, Solo?” He huffs. </p>
<p>“Something’s happening. Something is here” Han says. Maz nods. </p>
<p>“I’ve had this for ages” she huffs. Finn watches warily as she reaches for an old wooden chest sitting on a pedestal. She flips the latch open and Han gasps, eyes closing for a split second. Something stirs the air slightly before vanishing as Maz lifts out a shiny metal rod. </p>
<p>“Where’d you get that?” Han growls, fingers twitching towards it. </p>
<p>“A good question for another time” Maz says, handing the rod not to Han, but to Finn, who grasps it in bewilderment</p>
<p>“What is this?” He asks, turning it over in his hand.</p>
<p>“That’s a lightsaber. Luke’s lightsaber” Han says gruffly, turning away slightly.</p>
<p>“It will lead you to her” Maz says. Finn opens his mouth, eyes bugging out of his head, but a boom rumbles from overhead, raining a fine cloud of dust onto their shoulders. </p>
<p>“They’re here” Maz whispers, “Go!”</p>
<p>Finn goes. He and Han are sprinting at breakneck speed out of the basement. They run through the trembling cantina, barely making it out before a pillar of rock crashes over the opening. </p>
<p>“Maz!” Finn yells. A little orange head pops out of the rubble.</p>
<p>“It will take more than that to kill me! Go!” she yells. </p>
<p>The TIEs are swooping overhead like malevolent birds, firing at the pillars of the temple. The courtyard is a mess of stones and wreckage, and everywhere, stormtroopers and hardened spacefarers trade fire. </p>
<p>There’s a shot and an angry growl that alerts Finn to the whereabouts of the others, but something in him, or rather something he is holding, pulls him in another direction. Finn’s thumb automatically finds a well worn button, and he presses it. A jet of humming blue light emerges, sizzling. Finn’s eyes widen as the lightsaber pulls his feet over the tumbling stones. </p>
<p>He barely has time to blink, before suddenly, a white armoured trooper spots him. Finn’s hands twist automatically, the lightsaber blocking the shot, and another one doesn’t come, so he takes off again. Another trooper fires at him, this time at close range, and suddenly Finn’s saber is protruding through their back. Finn gasps in horror and shock as the trooper looks into his eyes. Finn is so close to their face, he can see frightened eyes through the mask holes</p>
<p>“Why?” she whispers, a small girl’s voice, before collapsing to the ground. Finn gasps, lightsaber limp at his side, as a dead trooper lays at his feet. </p>
<p>“Traitor!” He hears, shouted from behind. He barely has time to raise the saber before an electrostaff comes crashing down on his head. The scream is one of pain, as the man inside the mask batters away at Finn, who barely has time to counter. </p>
<p>“I don’t want to fight you!” he screams over the sound of the raging battle. His foot hits the dead trooper’s arm and he resists the urge to vomit.</p>
<p>“Then you shouldn’t have killed her” The trooper snarls, slashing downwards. He’s well trained, obviously a cavalry trooper, but emotion is making him sloppy. It becomes utterly apparent when Finn’s saber finds an open spot, slicing through the white plastoid like butter. </p>
<p>The trooper lets out a cry and Finn catches him as he falls. He holds the trooper as the soldier heaves for breath, desperately. </p>
<p>“You were supposed to be one of us” he says, muffled by the mask. Finn stares in horror as the trooper’s head rolls back and he grows limp. </p>
<p>Battle training kicks in and Finn is up and running again, but nothing can shake the image of the two troopers, hands inches apart where they lie on the ground. He shudders. </p>
<p>“You okay?” Han asks, appearing out of nowhere. Finn skids to a stop, nodding as he heaves for breath. </p>
<p>“Have you seen Rey?” he asks through gasps, bent at the waist. Han shakes his head grimly and Chewie roars mournfully. </p>
<p>“Hands up!” </p>
<p>Finn looks up to see a squad of troopers surrounding them. Their blasters are pointed at the three, and Han slowly puts his hands up. The troopers relieve them of their weapons, and Finn sees his trooper’s hand tremble slightly as he takes Finn’s saber. </p>
<p>They’re escorted towards a large prison frigate, one Finn is very familiar with, having seen them come and go from the hangars at Starkiller on a regular basis. Han stops suddenly, and Finn is about to urge him forwards when he sees the troopers mobilize at the edge of the lake, blasters pointed at the sky. Their escorts all break towards the blockade, save for a few, and Finn puts his hands down as the faint sound of roaring engines echoes over the crackle of flames.</p>
<p>“No way” He mutters. </p>
<p>“Yes” Han says, an incredulous grin spreading over his face. </p>
<p>The X wings flying towards them split into combat formation, and Finn’s heart soars. They artfully dodge through fire and attack, blowing TIEs out of the sky. </p>
<p>“A little help, here, if you would” Han says dryly. Finn whirls around to see Han holding one trooper at gunpoint, Chewie having the other two in a headlock. Han tosses Finn the saber and his finger tightens on the trigger. The trooper in front of him flinches. </p>
<p>“Stop” Finn says. “Just take their weapons and toss them into the fire. Let them live” </p>
<p>“Kid-” Han growls, but Finn levels him the most intense look he has ever given and Han relents. Finn makes sure all the weapons are melting in the flames before nodding to Chewie, who knocks all three troopers out quickly. </p>
<p>An X wing soars overhead, twisting and turning. It takes out four TIEs in rapid succession as Finn watches in awe.</p>
<p>“That’s one hell of a pilot” he says, with a tired grin on his face. There is shouting and he sees the troopers retreating, hauling injured along with them as they pile onto the ships. Finn’s about to let out a victorious whoop when over the crest of a desolated hill, he sees a glimpse of grey-white amid a haze of black. </p>
<p>“No” he whispers. </p>
<p>Kylo Ren has Rey cradled, almost gently in his arms as he boards his ship. Rey’s head lolls and Finn is running, tripping over his own feet in his haste to get there. An X wing fires at the ship, and the Knight of Ren standing beside Ren jumps into action, arm outstretched as an invisible force knocks the X wing to the ground. It explodes on impact in a plume of fire</p>
<p>Finn ducks as a mess of burning wreckage hurdles over his head. He looks up and the ship is lifting off, carrying Rey and Ren to god knows where.</p>
<p>And Finn has failed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>……</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rey hears the trooper before she spots it. </p>
<p>She’s running, when she hears the crackle of the radio. </p>
<p>“TK-9917, report”</p>
<p>“Nothing yet, Fours” the trooper says wryly into her comm. Rey hides behind a tree, silent. </p>
<p>“Keep it numbers only” A harsh male voice says. The trooper coughs. </p>
<p>“Sorry, Captain” </p>
<p>Rey peeks out from behind her tree, and immediately regrets it. The trooper spots her and opens fire. Rey fiddles with the blaster Han gave her as she ducks for cover. </p>
<p>“Come on, safety” she says, flipping the switch. She stands and aims, the bolt hitting a few feet to the left of her target. </p>
<p>“Captain, I need backup!” The trooper says as she fires. Rey stands again and fires another shot. This one hits, and the trooper crumples. There’s an inquisitive beep from behind her and Rey turns to see BB-8. </p>
<p>“Go, BB!” She hisses. The droid whirs away as a group of troopers appear. </p>
<p>“Niner!” one cries, dropping to his knees beside the fallen trooper</p>
<p>Rey runs away from the hail of shots firing after her. Every so often, the blasters lessen and Rey twists, firing wildly behind her in an attempt to hold off the advancing troopers. Eventually, she loses them, taking a sharp turn into a more shaded past of the forest. </p>
<p>She presses her forehead against a tree, breathing heavily. She can’t afford to stop, though, and soon she is running again. Something is drawing her in. <i>We’ll hide you. We’ll keep you safe. </i></p>
<p>She should have known it would be a trap. </p>
<p>Something hums in the corner of her hearing and she turns around wildly, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Her blaster trembles with her hand as her breathing grows rapidly uncontrolled. </p>
<p>Carefully, Rey walks, aware of every snapping twig and gusting breeze Her senses are hyperalert. The sounds of the battle are muted and faint, an eerie, ambient soundtrack.</p>
<p>Something emerges in a flash of red, and Rey’s senses flare as she fires a shot. The dark cloaked figure, familiar and radiating a hatred and anger so deep and powerful it sends a jolt down Rey’s spine, simply knocks it out of the way with his sword. His lightsaber, Rey realizes. </p>
<p>Rey fires again, and again, and the shots fry moss and lichen and reduce wood to ash and still the figure advances, a malevolent glacier moving steadily towards her. </p>
<p>The figure holds out his hand and Rey is rooted to the ground, limbs unmoving. She struggles, but nothing moves as the figure gets closer. </p>
<p>“The girl I’ve heard so much about” he says. His voice crackles through the helmet, but Rey can tell that without it, the man’s voice would be smooth and arrogant and everything she isn’t. He advances on her, so close she can feel the heat of his saber against her leg and a shiver travels up her spine. </p>
<p>“The droid” he murmurs, walking past her. Rey huffs in relief. A moment too soon, it seems, as the saber’s heat burns an inch away from her face.</p>
<p>“Where is it?”</p>
<p>Rey can’t speak, either from fear or paralysis, she doesn’t know. </p>
<p>“Hmmm” The man says, walking back in front of her. His gloved hand extends towards her and Rey presses her eyes shut as something foreign, something dark, brushes the surface of her thoughts. </p>
<p>“The map” he says, almost thoughtfully, “You’ve seen it” </p>
<p>“Sir, Resistance fighters.” A trooper says, and the sensation disappears from her mind. Rey gasps and struggles to inhale, panic winding bands of steel around her lungs. </p>
<p>“Pull the division. We have what we need” The figure says, and it hits Rey what they’re going to do. Take her, torture her, kill her. She struggles anew and she hears a voice whisper, deep within and far away. </p>
<p>
  <i>Use your power, Rey. </i>
</p>
<p>Rey struggles and pushes, with everything she has, and collapses to her knees, limbs free. She makes it three clumsy steps before she’s frozen again. </p>
<p>“Interesting” The figure muses, and then all she sees is black. </p>
<p>…..</p>
<p>Kylo Ren carries the girl in his arms, rather than letting his troopers do it. She’s fragile, skin and bones, with fine features. </p>
<p>“Who is she, Master?” The Knight of Ren beside him asks as they board. </p>
<p>“I don’t know,” He admits. He wouldn’t do it to anyone else, but this Knight is his second in command. He trusts her, something the Supreme Leader warned he never do. </p>
<p>“She’s powerful” the Knight admits, her voice grudging. There’s a barrage of shots from the X wing soaring above them ,and Kylo feels a savage glee flicker within his second as she throws the ship to the ground in an explosion of flames. </p>
<p>“She is. But don’t worry” He says as the ramp closes and they lift into the air. He lays the girl down on a stretcher and stares at her face. Fine features, indeed.</p>
<p>“It will be mine soon enough”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love the Knight. She is my favourite character. That's all I'll say for now ;)</p>
<p>Kudos and Comments please</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>reunion, discovery, and darkness</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>LEIA AND HAN ARE MY MOM AND DAD AND ALSO POE"S MOM AND DAD THANK YOU</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Resistance escorts them back to their base. </p>
<p>Finn sits in the lounge of the Falcon, turning the saber over and over in his hands. He killed his brother and sister with this. He was supposed to be their comrade, their brother. His hands shake. He couldn’t kill innocents. How could he kill someone just like him?</p>
<p>BB-8 rolls up, beeping inquisitively, and Finn smiles at the little droid sady. It’s grown on him, and he pats it’s head. The droid beeps more intensely as the sound of the landing gear touching the ground rattles through the ship.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know” Finn says, getting up and approaching the ramp. It cranks down to reveal a landing strip, wide and scattered with ships and people. The returning X wings are landing, and their pilots jump from the cockpits with howls of victory. </p>
<p>“Come on” Han says gruffly, pulling Finn along by the shoulder of his jacket. Finn walks, saber in hand, as Han frog marches him towards a cavernous doorway set into the lush green hillside. </p>
<p>“Finn!” </p>
<p>A familiar voice makes Finn’s heart stop. He turns slowly, so slowly, because the voice of a dead man calls to him. Poe Dameron stands with wide eyes and a blinding smile beside an X wing and Finn thinks he should have known. One hell of a pilot, indeed. </p>
<p>“Poe!” </p>
<p>They race towards each other, Poe throwing his helmet to the ground as they crash in a tangle of limbs. Finn buries his face in Poe’s shoulder, feeling his heartbeat underneath his arms as he squeezes the man tightly. </p>
<p>“You’re alive!” he breathes, squeezing harder.</p>
<p>“So are you, buddy” Poe says, extricating himself from Finn’s grasp. There’s a beep from behind Finn and Poe’s eyes widen with glee as he spots BB-8. He drops to his knees and grips BB-8’s cranial unit tightly in his hands</p>
<p>“It’s good to see you too, BB”</p>
<p>“How did you make it? How are you here?” the questions tumble from Finn’s lips quickly, tripping over each other. Poe rises to his feet, gripping Finn’s arms tightly. </p>
<p>“I was thrown from the crash, I woke up at night, no ship, no you, nothing” Poe’s gaze narrows on the sleeve he’s clutching in a white knuckled grip. “Is this my jacket?” </p>
<p>“Oh, yeah” Finn strips it off quickly. Poe stops him with a gentle hand.</p>
<p>“Keep it” he says, teeth worrying his bottom lip slightly “It looks better on you” </p>
<p>Finn shrugs it back on, the jacket covering his arms with warmth and soft and the smell of jet fuel and something spicy. Poe grins at him fondly</p>
<p>“Oi, Finn!” Han roars from where Finn left him. Finn gulps slightly as Poe’s eyes snap to Han. Poe’s eyes widen.</p>
<p>“Han?” he says wonderingly. Han looks at him piercingly, approaching slowly. </p>
<p>“Poe Dameron” he says, a small smile curving his mouth, “You’re still here” </p>
<p>“Of course I am, General Solo” Poe says respectfully. Han pulls Poe into a hug. Finn just watches with a slightly open mouth as Han levels the man with an almost fatherly glare. </p>
<p>“Do you guys know each other?” he asks.</p>
<p>“Han picked me up from Abafar, in the Outer Rim when I was ten” Poe says happily.</p>
<p>“He was a stowaway” Han said grumpily, “Too young to work my crew, so I dropped him off with Leia. I guess she stuck with you” </p>
<p>“More like I stuck with her” Poe chuckles. “Come on, we better go” </p>
<p>“Go where?” Finn asks. Poe grins at him.</p>
<p>“To see General Organa, of course”</p>
<p>“I’ll stay out here” Han says immediately. Poe glares at him.</p>
<p>“Like hell you are” he says. Finn watches with half amusement, half terror as Poe nudges a protesting Han towards the gaping door. Something nudges his foot and he looks down to see BB-8 looking up at him.</p>
<p>“I’m going”</p>
<p>They enter the hangar, and people fall silent at the sight of Poe, escorting Han with Finn following them. Finn glances around. There are families here. A man holds a woman in pilot’s fatigues tight, a small baby in her arms. Two boys, holding hands as they watch the tiny procession disappear into a small doorway.</p>
<p>The headquarters of the Resistance are small, cramped and hot with the energy of the machines and people. They, too, fall silent as Han and Poe enter. Finn sees flickers of recognition in some of them, the older ones. The crowds of people part down the middle, revealing a path to an older woman dressed in dusty purple. She looks up. </p>
<p>Finn watches as Poe steps back. The pilot’s knuckles brush his as they watch the two generals move slowly towards each other. Han takes Leia Organa’s hand in his. </p>
<p>“I’m home” he whispers softly. Leia smiles, pure joy shining through her elegant demeanour, and she presses a soft kiss to Han’s lips. </p>
<p>Poe lets out a wolf whistle as the occupants of the room cheer loudly. Han pulls back and glares at them all. “Back to work!” he yells, and a round of good natured laughter erupts as the people go back to their work. Han and Leia return to the holotable, Han whispering in her ear.</p>
<p>Poe grabs Finn’s hand and pulls him over to the holotable Leia stands over. </p>
<p>“General Organa” he says, face serious, “This is Finn, he needs to talk to you”</p>
<p>“And I need to talk to him” Leia says, smiling kindly at Finn, “Thank you for saving my best pilot and his droid. You were very brave to renounce the First Order”</p>
<p>“Thank you, ma’am” Finn says. “But a friend of mine was taken prisoner.”</p>
<p>“Han told me,” she says. Han stares at the holotable, hands clenching the edges. </p>
<p>“Finn knows about the weapon that destroyed the Hosnian system. He worked on the base” Poe interjects.</p>
<p>“How did you know that?” Finn asks. Poe just raises his eyebrows suggestively.</p>
<p>“We’ll take any help you can give us” Leia says firmly, “We’ll get your friend out of there” </p>
<p>…….</p>
<p>
  <i>It’s dark and damp and Rey knows where she is. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>The boy smiles at her as she sits across from him. In the corner of her hearing, she can hear water dripping down the side of the cave. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“What am I?” Rey asks</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Powerful. Strong. You are a vessel for the Force. Is that enough of an answer for you?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“No. Why?” </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“It’s in your blood” The boy’s eyes close as Rey tilts her head, looking at him. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Do you know where my parents are?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Yes”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Are they dead?"</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“There is no death” The boy opens his eyes and smiles kindly, “There is only the Force”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“So they are” Rey confirms. She always knew, somewhere. She can see through the flowery language. “Did they use the Force, too?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“We all use the Force, as we are all a part of it”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“That’s not what I asked and you know it” Rey snaps. Something in her head hurts, a pounding drum in her skull. She rubs her temples. The boy smiles mischievously “You will have your answers, Rey”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“When?”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“When it’s time” he says, “Be at peace. Feel the gentle flow of a universe in motion. Use it. It will tell you the truths people try to hide” </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“That is my first lesson to you”</i>
</p>
<p>There’s a clang and Rey’s eyes spring open. </p>
<p>She’s strapped to something, metal bonds that hold down her wrists and ankles. She sees something shift in the corner of her eye, and a black robed figure, radiating a strange chill and muteness that fills Rey’s ears with ringing, steps into the light.</p>
<p>“Who are you?” Rey asks. Her hands are shaking and she forces them still.<i> Be at peace </i></p>
<p>“You are powerful” The figure muses, a high girl’s voice. Rey feels the prickle of intrusion at the base of her mind, and she can feel the girl smile. “Or you could be. Perhaps. It’s a shame”</p>
<p>“What’s a shame?” Rey asks. The girl doesn’t answer, just leans her black masked face in, closer to Rey’s. She flinches, and there’s a flicker of predatory satisfaction. </p>
<p>The door slides open and a man, more of a boy, walks in. The girl’s head snaps up and she steps back. Rey takes a deep breath as the coldness recedes</p>
<p>“Lieutenant Brissen” she purrs. The boy swipes his cap off his head, revealing curls of auburn. There’s a flicker of something bright within the girl and Rey struggles to keep her reaction to herself. This cold predator of a girl harbours a love for the boy. <i>It will tell you the truths people try to hide</i></p>
<p>“Kylo Ren wishes to interrogate the prisoner alone. Your presence has been demanded by the Supreme Leader, my lady” Lieutenant Brissen says. There’s a shiver of fear that blinks into existence for an instant, but it’s gone as soon as the girl straightens her back. </p>
<p>“Of course” The black mask turns back to Rey, and she can just imagine the grin sitting beneath it. Then she’s gone, and Rey is left in the room alone. </p>
<p>It’s quiet, dead silent, and all Rey can hear is her own breathing. She closes her eyes, letting her breaths get slower and slower. </p>
<p>
  <i>Be at peace</i>
</p>
<p>“Terrible advice, really” </p>
<p>The masked man sits before Rey, elbows braced against his knees as he watches her. His saber is nowhere to be seen, but the hatred and anger billowing from him nearly knock the breath out of her still. </p>
<p>“Where am I?” Rey asks, as calmly as she can.</p>
<p>“You’re my guest” He says, voice amused through the mask, although there’s that almost constant undercurrent of rage intertwining with it.</p>
<p>“Where are the others?” she persists, ignoring his words.</p>
<p>“You mean the traitors,thieves and murderers you call friends?” he asks. He flicks a finger and there’s a pinching sensation in her head. Rey ignores it, not letting anything show on her face. “You’ll be relieved to hear I have no idea.” </p>
<p>Rey glares hatefully at him, imagining scenario after scenario. Blaster bolt through that ridiculous helmet, a dance of sabers and light ending with a charred corpse at her feet. But her hands stay trapped at her sides.</p>
<p>“You still want to kill me” Kylo Ren says, standing. Rey’s breath jumps a little as he approaches, but otherwise her face doesn’t move.</p>
<p>“That’s what happens when you’re being hunted by a creature in a mask” she says in a clear, even tone. There’s a breath of a laugh, and Kylo’s hands reach up. Rey flinches slightly, but the hands simply probe the sides of his face. There’s a hiss of release, and the helmet is lifted off. </p>
<p>There’s a man underneath, young like her. He is handsome, she supposes, with pale skin glowing in the harsh white and red light, and waves of black around his face. His eyes are familiar, Rey thinks, but she can’t quite place them. </p>
<p>Kylo Ren sets the helmet down with a bang, and comes to stand beside her, angular face close. Rey stares at the opposite wall purposefully, not sparing him a glance. </p>
<p>“Tell me about the droid” He says. His voice is smooth and arrogant, like she expected, and slightly higher without the tinny rasp of the helmet to muffle it. </p>
<p>“He’s a BB unit with a selenium drive and a thermal hyperscan vindicator. Beautiful model, really. Tell me about your Supreme Leader”</p>
<p>Like the black masked girl, a flicker of fear appears before it is quashed, but Rey catches it. Perhaps this is not the man to be scared of. </p>
<p>“None of your concern” Kylo Ren says, “The droid carried a section of a navigational chart. We have the rest of it”</p>
<p>There are images of people in black masks, flashes of red as they storm through a library, slaughtering everyone in their path. Rey gasps and Kylo lets himself smirk slightly before he falls back into a face of stone. </p>
<p>“And somehow you convinced the droid to show the last piece to you” he says, eyes narrowing as he spits the next words like poison, “You. A scavenger.” He sighs and shakes his head, gloved hand brushing Rey’s arm. She jerks away.</p>
<p>“You know I can take whatever I want” he says, looking into her eyes. She avoids his, continuing her staring contest with the wall. There’s a whoosh in her ear and something probes her mind, the same dark fingers. Kylo’s hand is hovering next to her face and Rey struggles as she pulls away. </p>
<p>“You’re so lonely” The man muses. Rey’s eyes begin to tear as she struggles away from the fingers grasping for her mind. “So afraid to leave” </p>
<p>Rey’s chest rises and falls in an uneven pattern as he presses deeper. It hurts, like something is pulling her brain inside out, and she struggles harder, a tear rolling down her cheek. <br/>“At night, desperate to sleep” Kylo Ren continues mercilessly, “You imagine an ocean. I see it. I see the island. “ Something sours within him, Rey feels it as he digs deeper, “And Han Solo” he says bitterly, “You feel like he’s the father you never had. He would have disappointed you” </p>
<p>“Get out” Rey says through gritted teeth, nails digging into her pals as her fists curl into balls. The fingers disappear and Rey gasps, letting her head relax against the table. Her skin is clammy and her head pounds. </p>
<p>“I know you’ve seen the map. It’s in there” Kylo says matter-of-factly, “Give it to me” </p>
<p>Rey’s head explodes with pain as dark tendrils rip through her mind searchingly. Her world narrows to a pair of eyes looking into her own, a pair of familiar eyes. Why are they so familiar? Her breath struggles and her mind races and pain is all she knows</p>
<p>
  <i>Be at peace</i>
</p>
<p>Rey takes a deep, stuttering breath. And then another. She lays her head back, eyes closing, and she can feel victory from Kylo, but she won't let him have it. Slowly, she breathes, and the pain subsides. She imagines a river, cool and fresh, sweeping the dark, violent tendrils away. </p>
<p>
  <i>You do not belong. </i>
</p>
<p>Kylo grunts with effort as more and more tendrils appear. Rey just breathes in and out, a steady rhythm, and the river becomes a torrent. Kylo lets out a scream of rage as the last tendril is uprooted. Rey opens her eyes to see the man’s eyes are wild, and she lets the river inside her mind pour into his. </p>
<p>Rage. Fear. Resentment. Hatred. And further in, insecurity. Longing. Heartbreak. Betrayal</p>
<p>“You’re scared” she whispers, and the tendrils fight the waves but the water leaks through, “You will never be as powerful as Darth Vader”</p>
<p>There’s nothing and the river in her tumbles to a halt as Rey opens her eyes to see Kylo Ren breathing heavily, staring into her eyes as if he were facing an army of thousands. </p>
<p>He leaves her there, turning tail and running.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>:)))))))))))</p>
<p>Kudos and Comments please</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Rage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An awakening, an insight, and a plan</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yeehaw. It's shorter. I'm establishing. Don't worry about it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s not possible. The girl, the nobody, resisted him. <i>Him,</i> the most powerful Force user in the galaxy. </p><p>Snoke’s chamber is not empty like he thought, but he is past the point of caring. The Knights of Ren that reside on Starkiller, and General Hux stand assembled before the Supreme Leader, who’s marred and twisted face is thunderous. </p><p>“Kylo Ren” Snoke says, and Kylo Ren bows shallowly, shouldering Hux aside. He straightens, and the Supreme Leader scowls.</p><p>“You are troubled”</p><p>“The girl” Kylo huffs angrily, “She is powerful”</p><p>“So you’ve said. There’s something more” Snoke leans forwards slightly. </p><p>“She resisted me” Kylo says quietly, as quiet as he can. Snoke falls silent and Kylo braces himself. </p><p>“She resisted<i> YOU?</i>” Snoke roars. Kylo hears Hux snicker quietly, and resists the urge to cut the man down where he stands. He never trusted the redhead, and they clashed often, and furiously. </p><p>“She is strong with the Force” Kylo says defensively, “Stronger than she knows, but she’s received some training, I sense it”</p><p>“Impossible” Snoke says angrily, “The Skywalker twins have never seen this girl before. There is no one else” </p><p>“There must be” </p><p>“Or perhaps, you are not as strong as I had hoped, my apprentice” Snoke growls. Kylo hears a whisper in the Force from the Knights standing around him. They all seek Snoke’s apprenticeship, and if Kylo falls from favour, they will tear each other apart for his place. He will not give them the satisfaction. His hand goes out and one of the Knights gasps, scrabbling at his throat. He is the runt of the group, and the the other Knights watch emotionlessly as the man fights until the life is choked out of him and he slumps to the floor. </p><p>“I am plenty strong” Kylo scoffs. Snoke leans back in his throne, scarred fingers tapping the armrests lightly. </p><p>“And the droid?” He asks smoothly. Something heavy weighs in Kylo’s stomach. </p><p>“Ren believed it was no longer valuable to us,” Hux says coldly. He, too, is sensitive to the Force, and would eagerly see Kylo cast down. “That the droid was all we needed. It has almost definitely been returned to General Skywalker and her enemy forces, along with the map it carries” </p><p>“Then the Resistance must be destroyed before they get to Luke Skywalker” Snoke hisses angrily. </p><p>“They are in the Illenium system. We have tracked one of their fighters” Hux says, a flicker of pride in his voice. Kylo sneers at him and he sneers right back</p><p>“Good” Snoke muses thoughtfully, “Crush them. Prepare the weapon”</p><p>Hux nods, and steps back, but he doesn’t leave. Obviously, he wants to witness more of Kylo’s humiliation. </p><p>“I can still get the map from the girl” he says, and curses silently when he hears the desperation in his voice. There’s another flicker from the Knights, and he hisses at them through the Force, cowing them. </p><p>“If what you say about the girl is true, bring her to me. I will teach you ways into her head.” Snoke says menacingly, Kylo bows and turns to leave, but Snoke stops him with a thought. “Not yet, my apprentice, I have another duty for you. Something that will hone your skills even more.”</p><p>“What is it, my lord?” Kylo’s voice stutters to a stop as a slumped black figure is dragged in, alongside a man in lieutenant's uniform. The Knights stand as one, emotions flickering between them as they watch one of their own dragged to the center of the room. It’s Kylo’s second, her mind hazy and dark and emotions running wild and shieldless as she is forced to stand. The man beside her is young, and his eyes are wild and scared. </p><p>“What is this?” Kylo asks. His second’s head lolls slightly, and he realizes that she’s drugged. Snoke’s eyes harden. </p><p>“An example” </p><p>…….</p><p>Rey’s struggling renews itself as soon as Kylo leaves. She writhes against the bonds, hoping that sweat and time will loosen the bonds enough for her to slip out. So far, no avail.</p><p><i>I’ve taught you a voice </i>whispers in her head and Rey stills slightly, <i>Use it. I will help</i></p><p>Something flickers into awareness in her mind, a presence. The stormtrooper guarding the door is humming with nervous energy, poised to spring at any moment, and Rey can feel his energy in her bones. She reaches out, and something thrums underneath her skin. The river in her rushes anew.</p><p>“You will remove these restraints” She says, stuttering, “And leave the cell with the door open” </p><p>The stormtrooper’s energy flairs, and she feels him stalk towards her even though she can’t see it until he’s right in her face, white helmet bright against the black walls.</p><p>“What did you say?” he growls, “I’ll tighten those restraints, scavenger scum” </p><p>Rey opens her mouth, and then pales. There’s another presence approaching, his mind a tumbling whirl of darkness and rage and screams and blood as flashes of light rain all around. Kylo Ren is returning, and his fury is boundless now. She takes another deep breath and leans her head back, looking deep into the trooper’s eyes. The river washes away all fear, all anger, and replaces it with nothing. </p><p>“You will remove these restraints,” she says, and imagines the waters trickling slowly into the trooper’s mind, filling it with her will, “and leave the cell with the door open”</p><p>The trooper’s back straightens, and the water drowns out his thoughts as he responds robotically, “I will remove the restraints and leave the cell with the door open”</p><p>Rey’s breath catches as the restraints release her, and the trooper turns to leave. He opens the door and Rey thinks quickly, “And you’ll drop your weapon”</p><p>“And I’ll drop my weapon” There is a thunk, and the footsteps have barely receded when Rey sprints out of the room, scooping up the blaster on her way out. </p><p>…….</p><p>HK-0009 and HX-3141 are newly assigned to Starkiller, and they have yet to see anything out of the ordinary. The other troopers in their old squadron, and their new one had spoken in hushed whispers, about the rage of Ren, the way his Knights killed with a thought, about the perilousness of their occupation. HK had scoffed, but HX kept those stories close. </p><p>They were patrolling again, mindless drivel as their feet fell on the black chromium. HX was about to open his mouth and tell HK about the antics of their cleaning droid, BT-40, when he hears a scream of rage. Something dark and dangerous seems to emanate from the corridor ahead, and sure enough, as they turn the corner, they see sparks flying as the legendary rage of Kylo Ren scars itself into the room ahead. </p><p>Wordlessly, HX grabs HK’s arm and turns him around, walking quickly away from the carnage. </p><p>Leave it to the next patrol to deal with. </p><p>…… </p><p>Poe won’t leave Finn’s side. He can’t make himself do it. </p><p>It’s because Finn’s hands won’t stop shaking. </p><p>They’re staring at a diagram of Starkiller Base compared to the Death Star of old, and Poe’s mouth is drier than the desert they crashed in. Snap and Jessika stare at it with clear horror, the simply awe inspiring size. This weapon has to be destroyed. </p><p>“So, it’s big” Han says dismissively and Poe smiles. Leave it to Solo to make a huge problem seem small. </p><p>“How is it possible to power a weapon this big?” One of the admirals asks, his wide eyes unblinking. </p><p>“The sun” Finn says quietly. Poe finds the trooper’s hand and squeezes it reassuringly, trying to tumble a pebble of reassurance into his mind. Finn speaks louder, “It takes its power from the sun” Finn swallows roughly, “As the weapon charges, it drains the sun until it disappears” </p><p>There’s a sharp intake of breath. Leia claps her hands loudly. </p><p>“Get Corporal Genevar on the comm. Tell him to prepare his base on Clavier to receive us” She says, as if Finn hadn’t just revealed the apocalyptic reality of the weapon they face. “All non-fighter personnel, begin evacuation protocol” </p><p>Immediately, about half the room leaves, silently. As soon as the door shuts behind the last person, Leia turns to Finn.</p><p>“They’re charging the weapon again right now” she says grimly. No one makes a sound. </p><p>“Oh dear” C-3PO, the gold protocol droid that taught Poe in his youth, says bluntly, “We’re doomed”</p><p>“What if we could blow it up? There’s always a way to do that” Han grumbles. </p><p>“Han’s right” Leia says.</p><p>“There has to be a thermal oscillator” Jessika says, her technician’s knowledge coming through, “Or else that amount of power would blow up the...planet? Death machine?”</p><p>“There is” Finn pipes up, “Right here” He points to an octagonal panel that seems infinitesimally small on the planet, but when zoomed in seems unconquerable.</p><p>“Destroying that will destabilize the core” Admiral Statura says, “It would blow up the weapon” </p><p>“I love explosions” Poe says under his breath. Finn chuckles. </p><p>“We go in there and we hit that with every fighter we have” Jessika says, “Anything less won’t work” </p><p>“What about the shields?” Someone yells.</p><p>“We’ll disable them” Han says, something alight in his eyes, “Can you do it, kid?”</p><p>Finn startles. “Yes” He says simply, “But only from the inside”</p><p>“I’ll get you down there,” Poe says immediately. </p><p>“No, I will” Han says, “The Falcon doesn’t have the firepower, but your X wing does. We need you attacking” </p><p>“How, Han?” Leia asks exasperatedly. </p><p>“You won’t like it” </p><p>“So we disable the shields” Poe says loudly, cutting off the argument, “We take out the oscillator, and the planet goes kaboom. Sounds like a plan?”</p><p>Chewie roars in assent and Poe grins.</p><p>“Let’s get to work”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments make me so happy I might spontaneously combust </p><p>please feed my addiction to attention</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If anyone, ANYONE, wants to beta or notices errors or has feedback or ANYthing, let me know PLEASE. I'm desperate</p></blockquote></div></div>
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